Grave News
by nerdsandlairs
Summary: Lydia is dying, and though she is ready to go, her father isn't so sure he is ready to let his little girl go to where he can't follow. Is he willing to strike a deal with a certain Ghost with the Most, or allow a greater evil to take Lydia's soul.
1. Grave News

In the Neitherworld, Beetlejuice had been sentenced to imprisonment for five years for his crimes against the living. Lucky for him his sentenced wasn't served on Saturn with the sandworms. He shivered at the thought.

"Damn worms-" He muttered under his breath as he leaned against the cold damp stone wall behind him.

Juno had really pushed for that, though what she wanted was for his soul to be exorcized. He couldn't help but smirk as he recalled her expression when the judge called out his sentence to confinement, though in reality, being locked up all alone was as bad as death.

There was no fun! No chaos, no parties, and the only dame around was a fat hog of a cop who ate herself to death, and not even he would consider 'tapping that' and though you can't beat three meals a day, a ice cold bed and a roof over your head that leaked only on one side, he couldn't help but want more.

"Like that small, pale and gloomy broad." He noted out loud to himself. Just thinking about her made him.. Anxious. He chuckled as he rolled out of bed, after all, he had another three years to play with himself, why rush?

"Two years, baby cake! And not one ' Happy Anniversary' card, phone call nor a visit!" He screamed at the ceiling as if she could hear him.

"Bah.. What do I need you for when I got righty and lefty?" He muttered before he moved back to his bed.

He noticed that time in the Nietherworld was far more inconsistent than in the world of the living. Time actually had value there. Seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years. But here, one week would feel like seconds and the next like centuries. Another thing he noticed was how much more he thought of his bride to be with each week. Some days he couldn't wait till he could ravage her, the next he wanted to strangle her- but every now and then he would recall their first conversation.

"I want to get in." Lydia said, her eyes so full of life, yet so much sadness. Disappointment maybe? Sure there was the saying that the grass is always greener on the side, but being dead? Grass doesn't get to much color being dead and all.

Beetlejuice gave a heavy sigh before he laid back down on his bed, just as a roach retreated from his pillow case just in time to become a midnight snack.

"Well Babe- You wanted in then, but maybe that's changed but I still want out." He said as he gulped down the roach. "Three more years. Should fly right by.." He said with a crooked smile.

* * *

><p>Three years later in the world of the living<p>

Lydia Deetz, looking as dark and gloomy as ever, sat in the office of Dr. Ted Jennings. To her right sat her father Charles Deetz sat, to her left was her step mother Delia Deetz, who had allowed her hair to grow out. Across from her sat the doctor. His mouth was moving, but she heard nothing, her step mother was sobbing uncontrollably, but she didn't hear that either. Her father however was silent like herself.

The last thing that Lydia acknowledge before she turned herself off was-

"Mister and Mrs. Deetz, I'm sorry but I have some grave news for you all. It seems that your daughter has Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. It's - It's fatal Mr. Deetz, and there is no cure. It's only a matter of time before the disease begins to take full effect, the estimated life expectancy is eight months, however symptoms should be in full affect in six months-" Then it became nothing more than white noise.

Eight months. Eight months to live.

"Lydia? Lydia do you understand?" Dr. Jennings asked, waking Lydia from her trance. She smiled gently and nodded.

"..Yes Doctor. I understand completely. I'll be dead by this time next year." She said looking down. "And I'll have to either be taken care of by my parents, or by a nurse before then because I will not be able to care for myself due to the symptoms it carries. What's not to understand?"

Dr. Jennings watched the young woman in slight confusion. She seemed to take the news, well, though he assumed it was due to shock.

"Should any of you need a counselor for the months ahead, one shall be provided, as will a nurse should you so choose-"

"No!" Delia shouted. "We'll take care of our Lydia, thank you very much! Won't we Charles?"

Charles, now free from his trance looked over to Delia, before his eyes fell to his only child. "..Yes.. We'll take care of her." He whispered as Delia rose to leave the room, most likely to clean herself up.

"Mr. Deetz, should you need assistance, don't hesitate to call." Dr. Jennings said as he rose to shake the man's hand. "And Lydia if there is anything I can do to help you please let me know."

Lydia shook her head, a smile still on her lips. "No thank you doctor.. I think I'll be fine."

"Lydia dear, I'm glad to see that you are taking this well, but this is a serious situation you are in, do you fully understand what is going to happen?" But Lydia smiled still, and gave a nod.

"Doctor.. I'm going home."

On the car ride home, Charles remained silent, though Delia wouldn't stop thinking of ideas. "Maybe we could do a fund raiser? I'll sell ALL of my art to find a cure for you Lydia. Yes. Yes that'll work. We'll get you the best doctor's money can buy. I won't let you turn into a sponge.. I won't!"

"Do you think I'll see Barbara and Adam?" She asked hope in her voice. Two years prior they were released to the next world. The reason why they were ghost was because their 'unfinished business' was having a family. And Lydia was that family. "Or do you think I'll end up a ghost too?"

Delia looked back to Lydia, her expression a mixture of pain and confusion. "That would be just what I need. You haunting me for not taking better care of you. Oh Charles how could this of happened? One out of a million chance! A million Charles!" Delia shrieked.

"Delia, Lydia please.. Can we save this when we get home?" He asked. "I really don't want to talk about it right now.." But Delia couldn't comprehend the plead.

"Am I the only sane one here? Your daughter acts as if she's going away on a vacation, and you just want to ignore it? Christ Charles!"

"Delia! I said I don't want to talk about it right now! I'm not ignoring it, I just want to get it all figured out. Do you want me to have another panic attack?" He asked, his knuckles white as the clenched the stirring wheel. "And Lydia, please for my sake could you at least act sad. ' Do you think I'll see Barbara and Adam?'" He scoffed as he stopped at a stop light. "For all you know you could see that damn Beetlejuice!"

But then everyone went silent. He said HIS name.

"..Charles." Delia whispered, horror plainly written on her face. Lydia was rather shocked as well. That was name none of them thought of in years.

"Well what, he's dead! I mean you saw that worm thing eat him whole!" Charles exclaimed, his voice panicked by his own action.

"...You can't kill the dead. They are already dead." Lydia said as she nestled into her seat. "He was a ghost.. Not a Zombie."

"That's enough Lydia, look I told you two I didn't want to talk about it, now please can we just stop?" Delia nodded immediately in response, but Lydia remained silent. "Lydia, tell me we'll not speak another word about this."

Lydia sighed sitting in the back seat of the car, starring out the car window, watching as rain hit the glass. "Fine dad.. We'll stop.. " She whispered, and for a moment she wondered if HE was still out there. The incident happened over five years last week. She didn't know why she kept track of the day, but your wedding day was a very important date, even if it wasn't carried out.

Well, even if he was still 'alive' she was sure he was bothering some other living or lost soul. He didn't seem like one to commit- but then again, it didn't seem like he was one to give up either.


	2. Back to Business

Charles Deetz sat in his den, his eyes scanning over the doctor's report on Lydia's condition. He wasn't sure which was worse. The process it would take for her to die, or the fact that her life was coming to a end.

"..Damn it." He whispered as he leaned back in his chair. "As if she wasn't already a handful.." He whispered, but closed his eyes in shame. His daughter was dying and here he was making comments as though she meant for this. He honestly wouldn't be surprised.

Ever since Adam and Barbara left to the next realm, Lydia went right back to her morose self. Never saw her friends from school, nor took a interest in boys, though truth be told he was slightly thankful for that, but Lydia went right back to spending her time in her dark room when not in school, or at her job at the one hour photo next to the post office.

He cherished his daughter, truly he did. She was all that remained from his first marriage. He lost Jane to her heart condition, now he was losing Lydia as well? It almost seemed like someone wanted him to be miserable! And that's when he heard HIS voice.

"You called Chuck?" Came that mocking tone. For a moment he thought he was imagining it, but it became clear that he wasn't alone when he spotted Beetlejuice sitting in his bird nest, wearing that striped suit that he wore when they first encountered him, when in human form that is. He was grinning up at him with those dead green eyes shining.

"You!" He shouted. "What are YOU doing here!"

"Well Damn Chucky, don't get you panties in a knot, you called me after all.." He said as he leaned against the egg and folded his arms."Now how about you say my name- I so do love to hear you scream it." He teased before he started cracking up.

"You are disgusting- Get out of her before I have Ortho fly down here and-"

"And what? Sit on me? Ha! That pig couldn't touch me even if he had that book! I'm not like the other ghosts, oh no- I'm the ghost with the most!" He said smirking. "But I'd much rather hear you're daughter say my name.."

"Well I'm pleased to inform you, that she won't be able to even say your name within the coming months. She's dying, and being that its not suicide or a freak accident, you can't get to her."

Beetlejuice blinked at the news. "Whoa, you serious? Damn that's a shame- Though guess it's true when they say only the good die young, and I'd give her a 8.. Inches that is."

Charles knew what he was up to. Frustration was his weakness, and he could feel himself cracking from the inside at this conversation.

"You never stop, do you? Everything is just one joke after another for you isn't it?"

Beetlejuice chuckled at the comment. "Well I mean come on, Life is just one big joke, and I really want to get in on that again." He said as he climbed up upon the replica of a blue jay egg. "Listen Chuck, you're kid is dying to get in, and I'm dying to get out, but I'm sure you don't want your little angel to end up asa angel this soon in the game, so how about we make a deal. You get me out.. And I'll keep you're little girl safe and even make her into a woman for you. Free of charge!"

Charles gagged at the thought of the ghouls hands on his daughter. "You just stay away from her!"

"Face it Chuck, I'm you're only option.." He said "Don't you trust me?"

"You nearly killed me, tricked my daughter into nearly marrying you- paralyzed my boss!"

"Hey, whoa now! That marriage was a fair deal, and I kept my side of the bargain, the way I see you, you guys still owe me." Charles scoffed.

"Well I'm sorry Mr. Beetle- ... I didn't know that marrying underage girls was a fair and legal process."

"Oh yea, which is why I learned that you should always have a contract!" He said just as a parchment appeared on Charles's desk. "So how about you sign that bad boy, say my name two more times and we'll get this show on a road!"

"Dad?" Called Lydia from outside of the door and Beetlejuice vanished just as she opened the door to see her father.

"..Not to be morbid at all Dad, but.. You look like you just saw a ghost.. Are you okay?" She asked, and Charles almost wondered if she could read his mind, but then again he did wonder quite a bit about her.

"Well, no honey.. But Lydia I-"

"Dad." Lydia interrupted as she ventured further into the den which by instinct made Charles place Lydia's medical record under some of the contracts. "Look I'm- I'm sorry about before. I just really miss Adam and Barbara." She started out as she sat in the chair across from his desk. "I wish I could explain it without making it seem like I prefer them more or something but- I just.. Didn't belong until I met them.. You know?"

Charles gave a heavy sigh. "Lydia.. I know you miss them.. But do you really think that they want to see your life come to a halt on their behalf? Believe me, it's not flattering." But Lydia rolled her eyes at the comment.

"God. Dad it's not like I'm asking for it.. But.. Ever think that maybe it's meant to be? You know.. Like fate and what not." She asked, but her father just shook his head.

"Honey, you sound like a suicide cult member." he groaned as he leaned back in his seat. "Look sweetie.. You and I both know that... there is nothing either of us can do to prevent this. Not even your moth-"

"Step mother" Lydia corrected.

"..Right. Not even you step mother can prevent what is to come.. But it's like you don't even care about us!"

Lydia sighed as she rose to her feet. "I figured I couldn't talk to you about this.." She said as she walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her and once she was gone Beetlejuice was back, now sitting on his desk.

"Sounds like someone has daddy issues, but hey.. I find that those girls are looking for more attention anyway." He said with a grin.

"Oh will you shut up!" Mr. Deetz questioned. "Maybe it's best that she moves on. She's clearly miserable without the Midlands and she would be sure to commit suicide if she were to marry you!" He snapped but the ghost could only chuckle.

"Oh Charlie, .. You don't know a thing about life after death do you?" He said as he jumped to his feet. "Alrighty Chucky listen up because I am going to school you now. You're little goth princess couldn't kill herself if I was wed to her, because in marriage we split everything.. She'd get a bit of my powers.. And I get a bit of her soul.. Which is how I would remain in this world. She couldn't pass on without the other half so in order for her to 'die' I would have to die too.. And I bet you are wondering why I am telling you this so I'll just throw you a bone. Chuck.. If you let her pass on, trust me when I say this.. But she's to special to just become a regular spirit."

Charles narrowed his eyes, focusing on Beetlejuice now.

"What do you mean?"

"Do I have to fucking spell it out? You're little girl isn't like the rest of the world. See the only reason why you see me is because I allow you to see me.. Lydia doesn't need a ghost's permission to see them. She just does." He said as he smirked. "So one way or another.. I would get to spend some quality time with your Lydia. Because she would end up in MY realm." but Charles shook his head instantly.

"Oh no, you can't fool me! I read those books! Where you are from, everyone committed suicide it's a punishment!" But Beetlejuice continued to laugh.

"Oh it's a punishment alright, but not everyone off'ed themselves ya know. Oh no Charlie Brown! Once upon a time I was alive, and I was special too.. I didn't see ghosts or nothin, but I did have a gift, and I was killed for said gift, but I'm glad I was! Because if I were to of grown old or sick, then I would had a worse fate.. Something that Lyd's will see if we don't make this deal."

"Gift? Wait, what are you talking about? There was nothing about gifts in that book, and what fate could be worse? Tell me!"

The ghost could only grin. "Ahhh maybe later Chuck, but I'm actually running a little late for a gig. See I've been haunting this crazy guy in a mental hospital for a couple weeks just for kicks, and his doctor is one red hot babe, and I hear she just had her tits remodeled so I'd like to see that, but maybe I'll see you next week!"

Suddenly Beetlejuice found himself in the clutches of one severly pissed off Charles Deetz.

"Listen here.. BUD! You and I are going to talk NOW on just what you mentioned about the gifts and being special... Spill it." Beetlejuice smirked. Hook, Reel.. Sinker. He wondered if everyone these days were suckers.. Most likely. How could you explain the finacial success of tv advertising?

Beetlejuice simply leaned back into the mans grasp, soaking it in like it were a beach chair.

"Well Chuck, believe it or not.. I may be the ghost with the most, but I'm by no means the worst." He said as Charles set him back down on the desk.

"Actually that is hard to believe." Charles replied as the ghoul dusted himself off.

"Well believe it brother, now I'm considered what the living would call a Poltergeist, a real trouble maker but come on, who doesn't love a bad boy?" He asked with a wink, and in reaction make Charles roll his eyes.

"Can you get to the point already?"

"Fine, have it your way boss!" Beetlejuice snapped back before he pressed on. "You got your Poltergeists like myself though like I said, we are only looking for fun. Then you have your demons. Bit more aggressive then us but they can be around for a number of reasons. Body possessions, wanting to drag that soul to hell with them, guess to make them their afterlife bitch.. You have Phantoms, but really they are just putting on a show, but then you have soul keepers.. Those guys are pretty creepy." He said glancing up at Charles.

"Never believed in voodoo till I saw one of them. They gather souls, sometimes they start while they were still alive, enslaving other souls for their afterlife life." He said before smiling. "Though.. Those guys are nothing compared to what I refer to as a Soul Sucker.."

Charles blinked. "A Soul Sucker?" He asked. "Well that doesn't sound to horrifying.." Beetlejuice shook his head.

"This is Serious Chuck! They are the last things you want to deal with! You know the Grim Reaper? Well that's what those guys are.. And when they take you away.. They don't bring you to Heaven or Hell.. No Chucky. They eat your soul.." He whispered softly. "They stalk the dying, and sick. They like them weak, yet ripe.. And if your soul is eaten.. Then there is nothing.. And from what I hear, the nothingness is a relief.. Because they savor souls.. Suck out everything and replace it with pain."

Charles was silent, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing. "..How do you keep them away?"

"You can't." Beetlejuice replied. "..if you die quickly then they can't get you, your soul's scent doesn't get to them until you've already passed. But Lyd's.. Well.. let's be honest. Lydia is a regular ghost magnet as it is.. They'll come for her. Though it's not like I care.." He said with a shrug as he examined his finger nails. "I mean, if she were my fiancé then I'd be willing to offer protection but I mean come on now." He said, hoping Charles would take the bait.

Charles sat in though for what to Beetlejuice felt like a eternity, but it was only but a few seconds. "You're lying! Trickster.. That's what you are... Damn and you really had me going Beetlejuice!..."And how the ghoul smiled at Charles's mortified face.

"...Well, I can't pull one over your eyes, can I?" He asked with a smile. "..But hey.. One more slip up.. And maybe I can pull something on your daughter." He said with a crooked grin. "But like I said. Hot nurse, new tits, crazy guy. Got a booked schedule at the moment, but we should do this again. Till next time!" And then he was gone. Leaving Charles to his thoughts.

His self corrupting thoughts.


	3. A Visitor

1Lydia's eyes fluttered opened from her short lived slumber and she gazed around her room. Three weeks it's been since she was given news of her pending death, and though she had welcomed it with open arms, she was becoming troubled. She saw things. Things that just didn't belong, though given her past experiences she didn't want to rule out her sanity. Not yet any way.

She first looked in the direction of her bedroom window. If the sun was out, her drapes would of blocked out nearly all the light there was to offer, making it hard to tell what time it was. But of course that's what clocks were for. And it would be sometime before she saw daylight as she read the digital numbers. 02:04 AM.

"Not even now I can enjoy sleeping in.." She mummbled under her breath. She noticed a pattern though, that with each passing week, she required less sleep. It was as though her body was trying to prove that it could hold out for years to come.. Or maybe that it had a longer rest ahead so it only needed naps.

She sat up, her My Chemical Romance T-shirt now exposed. Flipping the covers off from her legs, revealing old worn out gray pajama pants. She slowly lowered herself off the bed and made her way down the hall to the bathroom. After relieving herself, she made her way to the kitchen to grab herself a glass of water. In the weeks to come, she knew independence would be a luxury, so she intended to do as much for herself before that day came when she could no longer provide for herself.

Making her way out onto the porch, Lydia took in the cool morning summer air. It took her awhile to appreciate the fresh air that her father always ranted about, but of course she disagreed on nearly everything her parental units liked or stood for. She slowly eased herself down into one of the chairs Delia had made. The back of the chair was that of the design of a coffin. Delia never admitted to it, but their time with the dead truly inspired all of her work. Maybe she just didn't want to share her success. Though how could you share credit with the dead. They had no use for the money, nor of fame. At least not what the living had to offer.

Closing her eyes Lydia began to ponder as to what would come for her. She remembered seeing her great aunt Sue before she passed. Her mind was taken by dementia, Lydia feared that her fate would be similar. To have no idea what was going on one minute, and to be lost in fond distant memories the next. To be fully there, yet not there at all. She was disgusted with the nurses comments on how 'cute' her dying aunt was.

"What's cute about dying? She asked, which earned her a room full of glares. She hoped she wasn't labeled as cute in her final days. In fact she never wished to achieve the title of being cute once in her life. She's been called it before, but mainly by her parents friends which were all sarcastic taunts. Then she was called cute by a boy in middle school. She left him a dead rat in his locker the next day. Needless to say, boys didn't call her cute, but she did earn other nick names starting with C in the years proceeding.

She was pulled away from memory lane when something in the distance caught her eye. About a hundred feet from where she sat stood a scarecrow, or what Lydia assumed to be a scarecrow, and Lydia had to admit, it was Delia's best work yet.. And one of her tallest too. Though it was a bit away from her, she could tell it was taller then her father who was six feet even. The clothes that hung to the lawn ornament made it look as though the figure belonged to the dark abyss, black rags swaying with the breeze with grace yet with violence. Lydia set her glass down and rose to inspect the art work when something hit her.

Fear.

The sensation came from no where. The fight or flight instinct began to swell inside of her now, all though it took everything in her to not throw up now. She hadn't felt this scared since.. Since HE first came into her life. In the form of a snake. She couldn't even look at a snake now without thinking of him. She used to love them too. Another thing he ruined in her life.

She remained still, her eyes in search of what may of triggered her sudden panic, but nothing of imminent danger was in sight, which made her believe her days of being able to function properly in society were coming to a end. When she calmed down a ' I'm just paranoid' state she turned to go back inside.

"Come to me Lydia...-" A whisper came, which caused Lydia to spin right back around, to meet the voice, but only saw the lone scarecrow and the untrimmed grass it stood in.

"Great.. I better get back in bed before I actually see something." She whispered to herself as she turned to return inside when her eyes met a pair of scarlet red eyes, pupils nothing but slits. She could not see the face of her could be killer, due to the hood that cloaked all but those eyes.

She stumbled back, falling to the porch with a hard thud, and she shrank back in terror, trying to escape those eyes, but now she could see the figure was what she mistook for being a scarecrow, and he was a great deal taller than her father. The creature came closer to her, it reiked of sulfer which made her stomach churn over.

"You will be mine..."the voice hissed, and by the sound of the voice alone, Lydia was nearly greatful that she could not see it's mouth. The being was nearly upon her when the porch lights came on. Not even the pearly gates of heaven could match the beauty of those florescent light bulbs at this very moment, nor could a angel's voice match her father's.

"Lydia? Honey, what are you doing out here? It's nearly three in the morning.." Charles Deetz grumbled, still half asleep.

In no time at all, Lydia was clinging to him. Her fear diminished, but panic remained. "Did you see it?" She asked, her voice shaking nearly as much as she was. Her father could only look upon his daughter with a expression of confusion mixed with lethargy.

"See what? Honey, I just heard a thump and found you out here on the porch. You really ought to be more careful pumpkin.." And his words seemed to of calmed down Lydia a bit.

"...Sorry dad.." She whispered, her eyes darting out to the yard, in search of life.. Or death. Anything, but nothing was in her radar. "I guess I- Nevermind. I just need to sleep.." And as quickly as she clung to him, she released, heading back inside. Charles was about to follow her in when a conversation came into mind.

"Honey!" He called after her, which caused Lydia to stop. "What did you.. See.. Exactly?" He asked, trying not to hint out a worried tone. Either he was getting better at hiding things or Lydia was to shaken up to comment on his tone.

"..A scarecrow.. Or something like it.. With red cat eyes.. Silly huh?" She asked with a fake laugh. She was just as bad at hiding her emotions as he was. "Guess I should watch more Disney movies, rather then those old scary films huh?" She asked with a smile. "..Anyway... Night dad.." she whispered as she went back inside.

"Night Sweetie." Charles whispered back as he picked up the glass of water Lydia abandoned. His eyes going out to the field, almost expecting to find a scarecrow, or even the creature from the black lagoon. But nothing.

"I wonder if Beetle-" He stopped himself. One more time and he'd be out. His name from him one more time, and he'd win. "..BJ." He said with a grin now. That's what he could say, guilt free. "I wonder if BJ is behind this..." He whispered he too turned in, for the remainder of the night.

"Alright, where are you, you low life pest?" Charles Deetz shouted as he searched his den, turning it nearly inside out in search of the ghost that has haunted him for nearly a month now. He didn't have to fear a interrogation from his wife or daughter on why he was acting like a lunatic. Delia wanted to take Lydia shopping, and being that the closest shopping mall was nearly a hour away, he had time. And being that it was Delia, he had the day to himself. And Beetlejuice.

"Hey! Who are YOU calling a pest? It's eight in the fucking morning!" Came the ghouls voice from the blue jay replica nest on the other side of the room which Charles scopped up and plucked Beetlejuice from, shaking him now.

"Listen here! I don't care how bad you want Lydia, or to get back here, or whatever it is you want.. You had no right scaring Lydia the way you did. I've never seen her so pale, and that's saying something!" He spat before shaking his head rather than Beetlejuice's entire body. "And to play it as a scarecrow.. Really? I mean you were rather terrifying as a snake.. But maybe turning your eyes red did it for her-"

"Whoa hey there now!" Beetlejuice shouted as he tried to wriggle free from the man's grasp. "First off, you are doing this hand job all wrong, and B. If I wanted to portray anyone from the Wizard of Oz, I think I'd be that tin guy. He doesn't have a heart, chops wood all day, and even gets that farmer's daughter to oil up his.. 'stiff joint's" He said with a wink as Charles set him down on the desk. "Besides.. I don't have red eyes.." Charles scoffed at that comment.

"Oh please! You've changed into crazier things. I doubt that changing you're eye color is much of a task.." Now it was Beetlejuice's turn to scoff.

"Actually Chucky, it's not a simple task.. It's imposi- fucking- ble. I can change my form alright, but not eye color. It's not a option." He said as he turned himself into a rat which made Charles jump.

"See! Same green eyes!" Spat the rat pointing to his eyes then turned to his all to well known snake, just smaller, then back to his human form. "So let me school you on ghosts once again. Each glass of ghoul has a eye color. And if you are sure that she saw red eyes.. Then you have a Soul Sucker on your hands." He said shoving his hands into his pockets.

Charles blinked recalling their last conversation.

"..How long does she have? She saw it last night BJ, how long does she have till-"

"What the fuck did you call me?" The ghost shouted. "BJ? Did you call me BJ?" The ghost was in blind fury now. "You gave me a nickname? What am I, some high school chum of yours now?" Charles couldn't help but smirk.

"Well what? I have to call you something? Can't say your name again." And now Beetlejuice howled with anger.

"That's cheating! You can't- oh whatever 'Charles'" He spat and sat down cross legged and arms folded. The two fell silent, Beetlejuice from anger that a water bag like Deetz out witted him, and Charles was silent waiting for the ghost to calm down. He waited for awhile.

"...I'd give about three months." Beetlejuice finally spoke. "Five tops months tops. It shouldn't come back too soon, but in time it's visits will be more frequent. And hopefully for Lyd's she'll only have one stalking her." And this news troubled Charles to no end.

"You mean, there could be.. More?" He asked, thinking how scared his daughter was with just one of these things.. But to have two? Three even? "How many could she possible get?" Beetlejuice sighed leaning back, his eyes looking to the ceiling.

"..Depends on how.. Good.. She smells. Each soul has a particular scent to these guys. And I can honestly say, it's been awhile since I've heard about a dame, or anyone for that matter who can see ghosts. Not just see a light or hear something but actually SEE them."

"What does that have to do with anything?" Charles asked.

"Because it means her soul is stronger. More potent. Even if the guys don't like her scent they'll come for the power of it." Beetlejuice said, sending a glare his way. He no longer wondered why Lydia wanted to get into his world. Being raised by a moron like this must of made the rest of the world seem pretty pathetic.

"Really there is no saving her now unless if she lives." He said getting to his feet. "And you and I both know that there is no other choice here but me..."

Charles bit his tongue now. He wasn't lying about the eyes, at least as far as he knew.. And Beetlejuice did seem to have a valid point on his daughters.. Condition. She had always been different. Marched to the beat of her own drum, saw the world in a different light. She was special, he thought she'd grow out of it. Not into it. But he also thought he'd die before her. He thought a lot of things.

"..I don't suppose you would settle for just.. Dating my daughter?" Charles asked which raised Beetlejuice's attention. He was considering him now? The dead man smiled.

"No I consider myself old fashion and just marring a broad, but really like there is time to date?" He said shaking his head. "No, if I am to keep you're kid safe from those things, she'd have to be connected to me, and me to her so I can't be dragged back to my realm."

"Whatever happened to 'the ghost with the most' shit? Hmm? Why can't you keep them away from her. Keep them at bay, or even fight them off?" Charles shouted enraged. "You survived that giant snake thing-"

"THESE THINGS AREN'T SANDWORMS!" Bettlejuice snapped suddenly. "..These things escaped the death of the dead... Meaning they can't be killed, so I don't think they have fears.. The only reason why they aren't in that room is because they eat living souls to remain strong enough to manage without being sucked back in." He whispered watching Charles. "Truth is, I'm just as vulnerable to those things as she is. Difference is they stay away from the dead most of the time, but they have been know to eat souls that haven't passed on to the next life. It's rare, but it happens."

Charles thought he heard defeat in Beetlejuice's voice. No, surely it was a trick of some sort. That's all he was. Tricks. But why did he look so convincing?

"Look Chuck. If you want your daughter to live, then you know how to contact me. Just one more time and your scarecrow days will be over, but if those things are showing up then I can't stick around too much. Lydia has shell to hide in still. I don't." He said with a stern tone. Call me, don't call me, whatever. But I think you should tell your kid as too what she is up against. Sure I'll admit, maybe I'm not the greatest husband material out there, but I'm pretty sure marrying me can't be quiet as painful as having your soul devoured." He then shrugged. "Than again, what the hell do I know? I've been dead for nearly a eternity." He said with a smirk. "Give the family my regards Chuck. If I don't hear from you, then I'll see you at the funeral." And then he was gone.

Charles ran a hand over his face. This wasn't doing anything good for his anxiety. He was so tempted to call out his name. Just one more time. But how could he believe Beetlejuice? Then again what did he have to lose? Either way he'd lose his only child, and if he was going to he'd rather lose her to a pervert than to be consumed by some sort of monster.

Groaning Charles sat back down into his seat and buried his face into his hands, leaving them there until he heard the grandfather clock chime in a new hour. He rose to his feet and was about to head to his room till he stopped looking to the book case. His eyes focused on a book that he nearly forgotten about entirely.

The Living and the Dead.

Surely there was something else that could help him out. If not at the very least confirm or deny if Beetlejuice was telling the truth. And though it was a hard to follow book, he knew of someone who could actually follow the book better than he could. Unfortunately for him, Ortho hadn't so much as called Delia since the last incident with Beetlejuice, let alone stepped foot in their home.

Maybe it was time that they took a vacation. A trip back to the city. Yes! It wouldn't cause too much suspicion, other than the fact that he hated the city, but Delia would be so thrilled about the notion of going home that she wouldn't even question it. No, it was Lydia he would have to convince. She wasn't easy to fool. She read him as easily as she read her books on the afterlife. Would she simply believe that he wanted one last family outing? It didn't matter if he convinced her or not. So long as he could hide the actual reason was good enough for him.


	4. Coffee Tables and Bathroom Mirrors

The anxiety hit him like a brick wall the moment he stepped out of Grand Central. The smog, the people, all the noise. Oh what he would do to just hear the silence of wind right now. His eyes looked to Lydia then.

She seemed just as displeased as he was about being here. Then again nothing seemed to please her. He had years to relax, Lydia only had months to live. He had a chance to save her life, and he never turned down a opportunity to invest, and his daughter's life was the best damn investment he could make.

Arriving at the hotel, Delia sounded like she was on the verge of a orgasm, which was more of a turn off to Charles because he knew it had nothing to do with him. He might get something in return later from Delia, but once again this wasn't about him, nor Delia.

"Alright girls, I have to go to the office to clear up something. But the rest of the week should be all ours. So Lydia why don't you think of what you want to do?"

"I think we should go shopping! How does that sound, Lydia?" Delia's voice rang with joy as she made her way into the kitchen. "Ugh, I swear, these places are getting cheaper and cheaper! Charles, there isn't even a mini bar! We'll need to get some wine when we go out. " She said before she looked to the clock above the stove. "Then again.. it's only eleven, we have hours.. Charles, you don't mind if I take Lydia shopping, on the way back we can pick up some groceries!" Lydia gave a groan.

"..I don't recall my dying wish to be the best dressed corpse on the east coast.." She muttered before she felt her father kiss her forehead.

"Just try to have fun pumpkin. The rest of the week is yours." He said with a smile, and Lydia nodded in defeat.

"..I hear they are doing a showing of Dawn of the Dead, the original." Lydia said with a half assed smile before she narrowed her gaze. "..What is this meeting about again?" She questioned, which made Charles break out in a sweat..

"Oh shoot! Look at the time, I nearly forgot about it! I better get down there before I'm late!" He said before he kissed her forehead again, and waved to his wife. "I'll see you ladies later!" He called before he left the room, nearly slumping against the door. He had gotten so caught up in it all he didn't even have a excuse to give Lydia! And that was the hardest part, yet such a simple task. He sighed shaking his head before heading off to meet Otho.

* * *

><p>Charles had to admit that finding Otho was harder than he imagined it would. Of course he usually found that man terrorizing his home, or drinking all of his wine. Wasn't hard to find him before. Otho was still doing well for himself, living in Manhattan wasn't cheap, he knew though experience. Both business and personal, but Charles was half convinced that Otho would of lost it after his ghost encounter. This wasn't the first time he was wrong though.<p>

Knocking on his apartment door, it swung open to reveal the plump man he knew.

"Hello Otho." He said walking in without waiting to be invited in. It was nice to be able to do that for once. The shock on Otho's face was even sweeter.

"Charles Deetz! My word- I thought you to be dead until a few months ago.. Delia seems to be doing very well..." He said before closing the door. "And how may I be of service to you today?" He asked as Charles revealed the hand book, making Otho stop in his tracks. "Oh no Charles, Not that stuff again! I'm though with the paranormal!"

"Oh no Otho, you owe me! You said it yourself, you thought we were as good as dead, because you left us for the dead!" He shouted slamming the book onto a coffee table in Otho's living room.

"That is a David Lloyd Thompson one of a kind coffee table! So if you are going to be a barbarian Charles I suggest you do it at K Mart." He said before her waddled into the kitchen. "How did you even manage to rid yourselves of that ghost?" He asked now curious. So Charles told Otho everything. What happened after he ran out, to the years they spent with the Maitland's till they crossed to the next life, to everything going back to the way their lives were before and Lydia's illness. Then came the news of The ghost from before haunting him, and a new ghoul haunting Lydia.

"I was a idiot- I called out his name twice already.. That's how he got out. You say his name three times and he comes back.." He whispered. "He said though that if Lydia doesn't die suddenly or if she doesn't get married to him she'll suffer from this other ghost.. That it'll eat her." Otho scoffed.

"Come now, Charles. You don't actually believe this do you?" He asked looking at him as he poured himself a cup of coffee. "I mean clearly this man knows how to pull one over your eyes.."

"Otho I mean it! You should of seen Lydia! Even BJ looked fearful." Charles exclaimed.

"BJ?"

"It's what I call him, to you know, not screw up one last time." Charles said as he sat back in a very expensive, but hardly comfortable chair. "Look Otho, you are the only one I know who actually knows how make out what that book says.. maybe you can find a way to ward off that other ghost, and even BJ for that matter." He said hopeful. Otho watched him for several moments before giving in.

"Alright Charles, I'll look at it.. " He said before going to the coffee table and picked up the book. "Though you know, if things are really as bad as you say, killing Lydia may be for the best."

"Are you crazy! I can't kill my own daughter!" Charles shouted, but it didn't seem to affect Otho in any way.

"You know you could always hire someone." Otho said with a shrug. "I am just saying though. I'd rather have my daughter dead then have that thing as my son in law."

"You don't even have kids. How could you make a choice without knowing." He asked.

"I used to have a cat Charles. It had a tumor, and the bill to get it removed compared to putting the thing down, well Mittens lived a long life." He said before taking a sip of his coffee. Charles shook his head before he covered his face with his hands.

"That's not the same.." He said before he got to his feet. "Anyway.. I have to go. Just give me a call when you find something, if you get anything useful, I'll make it worth your while." He said pulling out his business card and handed it to Otho, who took it gingerly.

"And what could you possibly have to offer Charles?" He asked folding his arms. Charles had to admit, Ortho had him there.

"Well, other than paid for your time, I'm sure getting a new original piece of Delia's work would be a great center piece for your guests to gawk at.." Otho nodded in agreement.

"Yes, well Delia has become quiet the rising star in the past few weeks..." He said before nodding his head. "Alright, Charles. You have yourself a deal. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!" He called as he made his way for the book.

* * *

><p>While Charles was with Otho, Delia dragged Lydia into nearly every store with a sign that claimed they had a sale. For a woman with expensive taste, she sure did seem to like getting deals. After hours, Delia called it was time for a break, and they stopped a Italian restaurant. Bags of clothes and useless nicknacks surrounded them.<p>

Delia smiled putting on her new sunglasses. "Isn't this great Lydia? I'm so glad your father decided to make a trip out of this." She said smiling as she took a sip of her wine.

"What did dad need to do out here anyway?" She asked glancing over to Delia but she just laughed.

"Oh who knows? And by that who cares?" She exclaimed setting her glass down and looked up in search of their waiter. "What is taking them so long?" She asked.

"Who knows, and who cares." Lydia retorted which made Delia roll her eyes behind her sunglasses.

"I'll be right back.. Make sure no one even tries to grab our bags." She said before she excused herself from the table.

Lydia smirked softly as she glanced down at the table before her eyes rose to meet a red pair of eyes across from her. Fear shot though her instantly, and then came the need to scream again but silence came from her paralyzed windpipes.

The creature made a sound that sounded like a mixture of a growl and a laugh which sent shivers down her spine.

"Lydia- you smell delicious..." it whispered as it floated closer to her, its drapes flowing with a terrible grace, like a lion stalking its prey. That's exactly what was going on. She was a zebra that could no longer blend in.

"What do you want.." She whispered, her voice shaking as the creature circled her. Her eyes closed. "What do you want from me?" She screamed now.

"Lydia- your food is here, just take it from the man. Honestly what has gotten into you?" Came Delia's voice which made Lydia open her eyes. Delia was in her seat once again staring at her as though she had a second head. In fact the entire place seemed to be staring at her.

"...I need to go to the bathroom." Lydia said before she fled the scene, ignoring the protest from Delia as she arrived in the bathroom, which thankfully was a single, rather than stalls. Locking the door behind her she went to the sink and turned on the faucet, slashing cold water onto her face.

"Your will scared it away you know." Came a familiar voice. Lydia didn't need to look up to know who it was.

"Go away." she said in a sulk which made Beetlejuice laugh.

"Hey now babes, I like my girls.. alive." He said with a laugh. Lydia's gaze went to the mirror, but instead of meeting her own reflection she met Beetlejuice.

"..Say something nice... To assure me this isn't a part of my imagination or something.."

"Something nice." Beetlejuice repeated with a grin as he inspected his finger nails. Lydia groaned, turning off the sink.

"Why are you here? I mean, God. I thought I'd be in some dream world state, not having a heart attack every other day.." She muttered and Beetlejuice continued to laugh.

"What do ya mean babes?" He asked watching her. "I thought you wanted to join the dead? Cause you know, we are all just so in love with the... delectable taste of life.." He said with a crooked grin which aroused Lydia's suspicions.

"...So that thing I'm seeing.. it's real. Isn't it?" She asked and he nodded.

"As real as it gets toots." He said with his bright green eyes. "And it's intentions aren't too pleasant either.."

"It's after my soul.." She whispered "And I can't stop it.. because no matter what I'm going to die." Beetlejuice didn't respond. Last time he offered help to her, she backed out once it came time to pay her debt without so much as a sorry. No, this time he'd make her beg for help. But to his surprise she smiled.

"I guess I asked for it huh? So eager to get in, I didn't care how it happened.. So long as I wasn't here.." She whispered. Her eyes told him she was throwing in the towel, that she wanted out, without a fight. "Might as well as go in early right?" She asked as she pulled out a razor blade from her messenger bag. Beetlejuice's eyes widened in shock.

"Whoa, babes! You are doing it all wrong!" He shouted pressing his entire body to the mirror as if he could get in with enough force.

"Remember kids, it's down the street. Not across the road..." She whispered as she pressed the razor to her pale wrist just as a pounding came to the door.

"Lydia Deetz, you open this door right now!" Came the voice of the woman who haunted her for more years then she cared to count.

"Dammit." Lydia hissed having dropped the razor blade down the sink drain. She slammed her fists on the sink. "I'll be right out!" She called in the calmest voice she could produce before her gaze met Beetlejuice. He looked relieved. "...Guess I'll just have to wait... huh?" She asked gently.

"I guess so kid." He still in a state of shock. She was really going to do it.

"When I die and you know... go to your world.. Could you give me a tour? Show me the ropes and stuff?" She asked, and Beetlejuice couldn't help but nod. How she managed to get in his head was beyond him But he blamed her eyes.

"Thanks." She whispered "I still have the ring you know.."

"What?"

"The ring." She repeated. "I kept it. I don't know why. It's really old and I probally could of bought a brand new camera and everything with it but I kept it.." She whispered.

"Lydia! I can't wait forever, get out or I may just have to leave you here!" Delia threatened. Lydia knew Delia was bluffing, but if she did leave her here it might have been for the best.

Lydia waited for Beetlejuice to respond but he was dumbfounded. Blindsided by the news. He was as silent as a grave yard.

"Well.. I better get go.. I'll see you around I guess.." She whispered before she left the bathroom, though Beetlejuice remained in the mirror for sometime, thinking over the situation.

He had to say it, she was something else. She had fight in her, yet all the innocence of a angel. Smart, and not hard on the eyes. Oh fuck it, she was hot!No denying that. Would she be able to survive her death, or would her soul be gobbled up before she reached the Neither World?

Wait, why was he thinking of this? He had to get her to be his bride. If he told her the truth of it all would she accept life, or just try to kill herself again? He couldn't say for sure. What he could say was that he had it in for this girl. Living or not, he wanted her. Bad.

He was getting anxious just thinking about about her. It had been awhile since a broad could do that to him. Not since he was alive at least. If he had to choose between having her in bed, or getting to the realm of the living.. it'd be a really tough call. But to have both? He grinned at the thought.

He left once a elderly women inched her way into the bathroom, he considered giving her a heart attack, but he had bigger fish to fry. A fish by the name of Charles Deetz. He only needed Charles to say his name one more time and he'd be out. He'd get Charles to say his name one more time. Somehow.

* * *

><p><strong>Well this chapter isn't really as long as I wanted it to be, but I'll just extend it. In the chapters ahead there will be more of Beetlejuice and Lydia scenes, as well as more of Otho (I know right, so exciting!) And who knows, maybe Lydia might go see My Chemical Romance in concert just because I know how much you love them. I'm just saying. Thanks for the reviews and I hope for more feed back, both positive and negative.<strong>


	5. Read Me Like a Book

The Deetz family emerged from a old time movie theater around 6 PM the next night. It was a double feature of Dawn of the Dead, the original and the remake. Delia nearly ruined the experience for her, screaming every time anything made a sound. This was the least of her concerns however. Beetlejuice was back, as well as this new ghoul. She wouldn't dare tell her father or Delia, the would stop everything and begin to baby her most likely.. Wouldn't they? After all she was due to be losing her mind soon enough.

Charles noticed Lydia's silence. Granted she was never the social but she didn't make so much as a taunt at Delia.

"So did you enjoy the movie sweet heart?" He asked Lydia as he hailed for a cab. Lydia glanced to her father and smiled.

"Yea, it was great." She lied with a smile before Delia joined in on the conversation.

"Ugh- So much blood and pus. Honestly Lydia, I will never know why you enjoy those movies so much." Lydia couldn't help but smile at that. If Delia was miserable, it would always bring a smile to her face.

A cab pulled up, on the roof of the car a advertizement for Beauty and the Beast on broadway was advertised which made Delia let out a gasp.

"That's what we should see! Oh can we please Lydia?!" She begged. After all this was 'her' week. And as much as Lydia would of loved to turn down that show, she had to admit, she only had a few months left with her father and Delia. Might as well be a little bit nicer, not like that would kill her.

"Sure, I guess." She said climbing into the car to escape the sight of the actresses smile.

"Fantastic!" Delia exclaimed getting in after her. "Once we get back to the hotel I will make the arrangements! Oh we should go out to eat before the show, but where to-"

"Why not let Lydia choose where we eat?" He said as he closed the door. He knew that if you let Delia choose one thing, it would spread out to the rest of the trip. "How about it honey? Any ideas?" He asked?"

Lydia frowned looking out the window searching, not for a place to eat, but to see if any ghosts were to follow. "I hear they have some new movie props in Planet Hollywood." She said looking back to her father who smiled at her.

He was always smiling at her now. Sometimes she just wanted him to stop. What was there for him to smile for? He hated the city, she was dying, and he even had to go off to another business meeting tomorrow night. Sure they would send him away once he lost his nerves, but when it came to family affairs his business didn't hold a ounce of sympathy.

"Taxi, to Dream Downtown Hotel please." He said before offering another smile to Lydia and the cab pulled out into traffic.

* * *

><p>Once back in the hotel room, Lydia sauntered off into her room, shutting the door behind her. She hoped to get a few moments of silence, but there was no luck of that. Even the best hotels in the city could not ward off the sounds of traffic. Making her way to the bed she flung herself onto the un made bed nestling her head on the soft downy pillow. Just as she was near the point of sleep she heard a knock on the door before her father came in.<p>

He didn't seem to take pleasure in waking her, but he didn't apologize for it either. He made his way over to the bed side and brought out a small ring box from behind his back.

"I know you aren't very fond of gifts.. But I picked this up for you yesterday after I had my meeting.." He said handing the box to her.

Lydia eyed him with suspicion but took the box out of curiosity. The last time he gifted her without occasion was when Barbra and Adam left. He had given her a entire new camera set, though she didn't use it until nearly three months later.

Opening it she found a Evil Eye Necklace. The eye was a ice blue, with clear stones encircling around it. She wasn't sure if they were actual diamonds, she doubted it but she never cared for that sort of stuff anyway.

"This is so cool!" She exclaimed taking it out to put it on. "Where did you get it?" She asked putting it around her neck. Charles beamed with pride, having successfully getting something Lydia actually seemed to like.

"A little antique shop had it in the window. The shop keep said that the necklace is supposed to ward off evil spirits.." He said with a smirk getting to his feet again. Lydia nodded with thought.

"Thanks dad.." She said with her miserable smile than looked to the window. "..I wonder if it actually does ward away evil spirits.." She whispered partly to herself. Charles sighed, but offered her a smile.

"Well if it doesn't I think I will have to return it." He teased, though he hoped that the necklace would actually do something to protect his little girl. "Anyway, I'm going to get some sleep, and I suggest you do the same young lady." Lydia replied with a simple nod.

"Night dad." she said as he left the room and closed the door behind him, though sleep was a luxery now.

First this ghost, then the return of Beetlejuice. She shook her head and moved off the bed and to the window peering out into the streets of New York. Twelve stories up, if someone survived that leap, it would be a miracle.

"Don't think about it babe." Rang the voice of the man she should of married years ago.

"I don't even have to think about it now.. It's almost instinct at this point.." She whispered back, not even bothering to search for him.

Beetlejuice gave a sigh as he folded his arms, resting against the inside of the mirror. His gaze on her back,

"Is that so?" He asked as he unfolded his arms now and shoved them into his pockets. "... Why is that? The boogie man too scary for you to deal with now? Is that it?" He scoffed, shaking his head. "And to think I was interested in a dame like you. Guess you aren't all that special huh?"

"Nope, just your average strange and unusual girl who can see dead people." She snapped at him, glaring over her shoulder. "So please, if you no longer have interest, quit hanging around."

"Ah! There is that spice I like.. So there is life left in you after all!" He beamed from the mirror. "So how about you just say my name a few times, we start right back where we left off and-"

"God, you are still on that?" She asked, cutting him off then turned to face him now. "I wouldn't marry you if you were the last thing on this planet."

"Ouch, that is pretty harsh babe I just thought that-"

"Whatever you thought, you were wrong. Okay? I thought I would get to spend the rest of my life with Adam and Barbra, but I guess someone decided to cut their wait time short because they 'completed their life goals'. I thought I would have the guts to throw myself over a ledge to be with them, but I don't. I thought I would never see you again-"

"But you did. I get it toots, no need to kill the messenger.." He muttered. He really hoped she would of cracked like the way her old man did. "But listen kid, you should know something."

"Oh please teach me a lesson professor.." She hissed making her was back to her bed, throwing herself onto it then pulled a pillow close to her chest. The comment caught Beetlejuice off guard.

"Woah... Well if you want to play the naughty school girl role, I guess I can oblige to that.." He teased, but clearly Lydia was not amused. "..Right well you see kid, that thing you saw earlier.. it ain't like its... gonna take you to see me or the Maitland's or nothin-.." He said watching her. "Kid if you don't get something together, you will end up ion it's dinner menu."

Lydia blinked watching him before she cracked up laughing.

"Oh come on Beej, you don't expect me to believe a crock of crap like that do you?!" She asked before shaking her head. "I used to be gullible, but really?!" Beetlejuice growled at the nickname.

"First your old man, now you?" He asked in a low angry whisper before Lydia jumped off the bed.

"What did you say?" She asked making her way to the mirror now. "Have you been talking to my father?" She asked enraged.

Beetlejuice quickly gathered his thoughts. Let the cat out of the bag now and maybe gain her trust, or make up a lie and get at Charles later. Choices choices. He gave the best grin he could produce for his once was (and could still be) bride to be.

"Oh.. Daddy didn't tell you? Since he first called my name a few weeks ago I've been hanging around.. I thought you knew..." He lied casually. Well, lying for him was casual.

Lydia was turning a light shade of pink now. She turned away from the mirror now.

"Oh that is just like him! To keep everything away from me! Why am I not surprised?!" She hissed, spinning on her heel to face the door. She had half the mind to confront him on the issue now.

".. So I guess you don't know your choices then, do you?" he asked watching her as she watched the door. When no reply came from her pale lips he continued. "Well you could always off yourself.. though I don't recommend it. You will be a slave to the system for the first 200 years, then you might be able to move around as you please. You can let that thing get you, which I don't recommend either, or you can see if your father has come up with any brilliant plans with Otho." This spiked Lydia's attention.

"Otho? Or for the love of Poe, please tell me this is a joke!" Lydia shouted, which caused Beetlejuice to chuckle.

"I gotta admit, it is a knee slapper." Which he then proceeded to slap his own knee. "But yup.. That is the deal... or-"

"Or I could marry you.. right?" she asked, clearly unamused by the notion. "Right well I think I would rather take my chances with ol' red eyes, thanks." Beetlejuice frowned.

"You don't realize how deep you are, do you?" He asked as he watched her from the mirror. "Babe, I mean it. That thing you saw before doesn't want to take you to our realm, or to heaven or hell. Doesn't want to keep you around as a pet. It want's to eat you. And I don't mean your body either.. as enticing as it is.." He said licking his own lips but snapped back to his point. "No! No.. It will come as your weakest moment to devour your soul.. and right now you are lucky there is only one hanging around.."

Lydia watched him, searching for any signs of trickery or such, but his expression held nothing but a serious, and almost sympathetic glaze,

"..Why does it want to eat my soul.. I thought that souls didn't have to eat or anything-" She cut herself off once she saw him shaking his head.

"Not these guys, no they HAVE to eat souls, otherwise they will end up back in that room.. Remember right before our wedding? How your ghost buddies were 'dying' again? Well if it wasn't for me they might of ended up there, and who knows. Maybe Barbra would be looking to you as a snack instead of as a friend." He said with a smirk.

"You're lying." Lydia started. "And even if this was real, than why couldn't you just make them normal, like you did with Adam and Barbra?" she asked with contempt.

"Because they are past the point of fixing, kid. How can I explain it to you.." He pondered out loud before he clapped his hands together. "It's like having a abortion! If you get at them before they are fully exorcised then you have no worries, but if you let it go though than you can have those things running around sucking the soul out of you!"

"Kids or these things?"

"Uhh both?!" Beetlejuice said staring at her. "Listen, point is, it can't be undone. It can't!" He said throwing his hands up. Lydia sighed heavily laying back down thinking everything he told her over.

"Great.. So my choices are suicide and never see Barbra and Adam again, getting eaten by that thing, putting my soul in the hands of the most incompetent human being to ever walk the earth... or marry you." She said glancing back over to him. ".. Or there is the slim possibility that I might die of natural causes.. right?" Which Beetlejuice responded with a shrug.

"I suppose anything is possible, I mean come on, you are talking to a dead guy. " He said with a snort before looking to his feet. "..But the longer you live in this state.. the more will come.."

"You mean not only do I have to deal with you, but I might get MORE of those things following me around, asking me to keel over?!" She asked before groaning."..And I thought dealing with valley girls was bad.." She whispered closing her eyes. "So really, my choices are marrying you, or suicide." She muttered keeping her eyes closed. "..Can we get a divorce?"

"Nope. Even if I wanted to, we have to stick together forever babe."

"Live with each other? I mean you could do whatever, and whoever you want-"

"Wham, wrong again!" Beetlejuice intervened "The laws are much more strict with a dead to living marriage. If either of us commit adultery we get sent to Saturn to deal with the sandworms."

"Harsh.. but could we still just.. not be around each other?"

"Babe. If they found anything to show we weren't a actual couple, we would have the pleasure of spending our honeymoon with the sandworms." He said holding up his hands. "Trust me, I don't like it either, but those are the rules."

"For being a stickler for rules, you sure seem to cause a lot of trouble." She muttered softly.

"I only break the ones I think I can get away with." He replied, pacing within the mirror, every now and again vanishing before appearing again. "So what's gonna be babe?"

"I think I'll try to jump off the Empire State Building tomorrow."

"Trust me kid, you really don't want to end up down here. I'd be doing you a favor." Lydia rolled her eyes but stopped looking him over.

"...You didn't kill yourself.. did you?" She asked sitting up. Beetlejuice scoffed.

"Who said I didn't?" He asked folding his arms. "Sorry I wasn't to proud to off myself, like someone I know." Lydia smiled.

"...I figured you didn't.. You don't seem so.. miserable.." She started as she got up from the bed and moved to the mirror inspecting him closely. "..No- looks more like.. someone killed you.." she whispered inspecting the mold and bruises that plagued his skin. "..You have been around for quiet some time then.." She whispered then concentrated on his eyes. Beetlejuice was in shock. The girl was reading him like a book. How could she do that?

"...I read that handbook. However you die is the form you stay in... But I can't tell how you died.. " Her hand lifting up to trace around his eyes. "You were exhausted, that's for sure.." she whispered taking her hand back and shrugged. "...Yea.. Maybe jumping off a building isn't a good idea. Rather not be a pancake for eternity.." She said with a smile as she turned back to go to bed. "I don't know- What do you think Beej?" She asked turning to face him again, but she met her own reflection instead. She almost considered to call his name once, but she felt her body call for sleep. He would be back, eventually.

* * *

><p>Back to the Neither World Beetlejuice ran off to. Cursing to himself as he walked the side walks of the dead end town.<p>

"Little brat.. Thinks she knows everything." He hissed kicking a beer can. He had been around several dozen life times and couldn't figure her story out, yet she read him like a open book in no time at all. "How does she do that?"

"Just let it go Beetle." Came Juno's voice which caused the man to spin around in a panic.

"Hello Juno. Did you miss me?!" He asked advancing towards her, hands deep in his pockets. "Cause you know I sure did miss you, oh yea, thought about you every other second in that cell." He said with a wicked grin looking her over. Classic Juno. Short hair, business attire, and cigarette in hand which he took from her, taking a drag for himself.

"Yes, I heard Beetle. But I am not here on my account but from the board of Living and the Dead Committee. You stay away from that girl, do you understand?" She asked pointing at him, her finger nails nearly touching his nose. He sighed heavily pushing her hand away.

"I heard ya loud and clear, but what if she wants me to help her out. Hmm? What about that?" Juno couldn't help but laugh.

"Like anyone would ever want your help." She scoffed, as Bettlejuice took another drag.

"..You did." He retorted which stirred something in the little old lady's heart.

"That was different. YOU were different, but you changed, and so have the times." She scolded taking her cigarette back. "You can't keep going back and forth whenever you want Beetle."

"BUT I DON'T WANT TOO!" He exclaimed, a chuckle followed after. "I just. I just want to get back there.."

"Why? Think our rules are too strict? Are you looking for revenge? You are the only ghost I know that has no real reason to get back to life, yet you seem to be the only one who tries."

"Maybe I'm the only ghost who knows how too." He said rolling his head to the side to meet her gaze. Juno sighed heavily.

"I'm warning you Beetle. Nothing crazy. I hear they are considering Saturn now, just because of behavior." Beetlejuice rolled his eyes.

"Well then, I better get hitched then huh?" He asked moving away from her, throwing a hand up to wave. "I'll see you at the after party, but for your gift, don't get cheap on me!" He called back as he continued down the side walk. Juno watched before dropping her cigarette, stepping out the flame.

"He is going to be the second death of me.." She muttered before she herself vanished in a puff of smoke.

* * *

><p>Sorry that I am updating months later, if I told you I have been busy with life would you believe me? :] enjoy, comments appriciated.<p> 


	6. Beauty and the Beetle

Juno sighed heavily sitting back down in her chair back at the office. Sometimes it didn't matter that she was dead and had all the time in the world, it would never be enough time to sort out the cases she had. Like Beetlejuice.

She even scoffed at the thought of him! Her eyes moved over to a stack of files that had been dropped off on her little 'outing' 12 new dead beats. Joy. She was just about to grab the first file when the door swung open to reveal a very plump man in gray pinstripe suit with a atrocious orange tie though out of his size and dress attire the most noticeable thing about this man was the bullet hole passing though his temple. He grinned at her as though they were old friends. She hated his guts.

"Hello Walter.." She muttered grabbing the file, hoping he would leave seeing that she was busy, but that was never the case for him.

"Well hey there Juno.. How is everything?" He asked with his thick New York accent.

"Walter do you need something or do you just want to chat, can't you see I'm busy?!" She shouted, which was Walter's cue to close the door behind him and take a seat before her desk. Knowing he would be here for awhile, Juno grabbed a pen and got to work while he spoke.

"No I know you are busy Juno, but this is serious! Why Beetle is really gonna mess things up around here. Why if he does make it back to the living side for good, he could disrupt a lot of stuff down here! Before you know it every ghost will be wanting to get hitched to a living person and that will be a lot of trouble for us!"

Walter worked in the Living and the Dead relations department. If a ghost was getting to unruly with the living to the point they were attracting too much attention, he would try to settle them down. Beetlejuice was his client for several decades now.

"I mean it Juno! Oh what I would give to see him locked up again.. His sentence should have been longer!" Juno sighed throwing her pen down.

"Well what do you want me to do about it? The man hardly listens to me!" She shouted. Oh how Walter smiled now, he never grinned at her like that before. "..What?"

"Juno.. Maybe just this once.. we can get help from.. _the closet_." He whispered. Juno was stunned.

"Walter, are you crazy?! Of all the no good ideas.." She muttered pulling out a cigarette. "What on earth could you do to get one of them to help out?"

"One? Oh no Juno. I mean to enlist ALL of those wretched souls.. Make a contest of sorts. Who ever gets Beetle and that girl's souls they get a pardon and will be blocked from the closet for the rest of eternity." He said with a smile.

"Wait, what does the girl have to do with any of this? In all seriousness Walter, the girl has done nothing worth having her soul devoured over.. And though Beetle is a hand full at times, do you really think he is worth that?" She asked. "Letting them all loose over two souls?" Walter glared at her now.

"And you think those two are worth all the trouble they will make if Beetle actually gets married?" He shouted back. ".. All we would need is a day. One day and they would both be gone!"

"Yes, one day and those two along with countless other souls will be in jeopardy." She hissed watching him. "Let them out, are you kidding me?!" She shouted standing up now. "Get out of here Walter. I mean it! Leave before I report you to your supervisor." Walter grinned pulling out a sheet a paper from inside of his jacket.

"I was promoted yesterday.. You didn't hear?" He asked standing up as well. "Juno you are now looking at the head of Living and the Dead committee. I just addressed the issue to the members.. and it was agreed that this problem is worth the risk." He whispered leaning closer to her.

"This time tomorrow, every single soul that has ever been exorcised will come flooding out of that room, and out into the world. If those two don't get hitched tomorrow, they are doomed." He whispered with a smile. "I know how.. charming.. Beetle can be. He doesn't have a chance. It really is a shame about the girl, but some sacrifices had to be made..." He said with a grin.

"As long as that sacrifice isn't from you?" She asked coldly which he nodded to.

"Exactly." He murmured as he got to his feet again. "... Sorry Juno. But this has to be stopped before it gets worse and I doubt there will be a more perfect opportunity." He said with a grin. "She was going to most likely be caught up by one of them anyway, and with Beetle going back and forth this is the perfect time to crush him like the worthless bug he is."

Juno watched him in silence before she closed her eyes, shaking her head. She clasped her hands together before eyeing him again

"Walter. I really hope you know what you are doing.." She whispered. He just laughed as he exited from her office. She glanced over to the window to watch him walk out of her department. "Because if you get this wrong, well.. I'm sure you already know.."

* * *

><p>Back in New York City, The Deetz family was just waking up. Delia was already dressed for the day and on her second cup of coffee, Charles was just making himself some tea when Lydia stepped out of her room. Charles immediately beamed seeing his daughter.<p>

"Good morning sweet heart! Did you sleep well last night?" He ased as Lydia made her way over to the counter, taking a seat on a stool.

"I got some sleep yea.. So what are the plans for the day?" She asked watching her father as he poured himself a cup of tea.

"Well let me see.. Your mother was able to get us second row seats for Beauty and the Beast tonight, so we should get over there at eight thirty, maybe earlier though, but I do have to meet with the office again at noon."

"...So what is it that you have to get done again?" Lydia asked wishing her father would just spill the beans, but Charles was prepared now.

"Oh it's nothing really, the office is just looking to buy some property so they wanted some old blood advice on it." He said with a smile. "Shouldn't take too long. Maybe four hours at most." Lydia nodded before looking Delia's way.

"..So Delia, did you want to maybe see if Otho is still in town?" The name lit up Delia's face.

"Otho?! Why.. I haven't heard from him in ages! Well maybe not ages but still. I wonder how he is doing." She mused to herself. Charles had to make a recovery.

"Well how about we all go visit him tomorrow, if he is still in the area, how does that sound Delia?"

Delia blinked looking between the two and stood up. "...Something is going on here.." She whispered. "..You two never liked him.." Lydia cast a glance to her father.

"Yes.. something is certainly going on here..." She agreed, though she knew she and Delia were on two entirely different levels.

"Yes! Yes there is.. I- I wanted to surprise you Delia, I was going to invite him out to dinner with us tonight, but you know Lydia. She can't keep a secret." He said giving a wink to his daughter. Delia laughed running over to Charles and kissing his cheek.

"Oh Charles, when did you become so thoughtful!?" She asked before looking to Lydia and smiled. "Too excited to keep the news to yourself?" She teased.

"Oh yea, thrilled." Her words caked with sarcasm. Her attention went back to her father who was just finishing up his tea. "...Hey Dad, maybe I could go to your meeting too? I always liked the photos of the architect around here." She said with hope but Charles shook his head.

"Sorry dear, maybe another time, but I really must go now!" He said kissing her cheek and hurried out the door before she could squeeze in another question or comment.

"Otho open up!" He shouted as he pounded his clenched fist on his door. The anxiety was getting to him again, if the city wasn't getting at him, he would certainly have another attack when Lydia dies. If. If she dies, he told himself.

Just as his hand came to collide with the door again it swung open, Otho barely dodging the blow to the head.

"Charles, I told you. If you are going to be a barbarian, do it at K Mart." He said with a smug grin as Charles squeezed by.

"She knows!" He exclaimed. "Lydia knows something is up. I don't know how, but she knows." He said dropping himself into Otho's chair. "Please tell me you made some sense out of that book."

Otho closed the door and walked over to the kitchen, as gracefully as a man of his size could move.

"... Charles. Where can I begin?" He pondered out loud as he poured himself a cup of coffee, pouring in some Bailey's Irish Cream. "... Well, there is no doubt about the fact Lydia is going to reach a experation date-"

"Otho, don't talk about her as if she is a produce. I mean it." Charles growled, in which Otho only shrugged it off.

"I am just saying. However it did mention a bit about the after life. Not much mind you, but enough." He said as he moved over to the living area. "It implied that most souls move onto 'the after world' where some remain in our world in circumstances concerning failed accomplishments, attachments to their life or sudden death. It also said that sometimes souls will be recruited to serve in the afterlife civil servant community, of course I already knew that." He said beaming with pride on that knowledge. "It did not say anything on ghosts eating souls though." Charles sighed shaking his head.

"..So? What does that mean? Do you think Beetle-" He almost slipped up again. "Do you think HE was lying?"

"Oh I don't know the man Charles.. I mean it is hard to judge the crazy ones.." He whispered sipping his coffee. "But anyways let me tell you this, it did say that it did not recommend making deals with the dead." Charles blinked.

"Why not?" He asked, hoping for answers.

"It said that " working with the dead to prolong your life could lead to unfortunate changes." And that was it."

"Unfortunate changes? What does that even mean?!" He asked jumping to his feet. "I swear, whoever was in charge of writing that damned book must of also invented the DMV!" Otho chuckled before setting his coffee cup down.

"Oh come now Charles.. At least it didn't have anything to say about cannibal ghosts."

"Yes, it's so comforting for them to not include something my daughter has seen, and that a ghost informed me about."

"Well maybe he was lying. After al,l that Jacob disease or whatever Lydia has is supposed to distort reality, right?" He asked. Charles nodded slowly, Otho as smug as ever. "So maybe he is using her sickness to win you over!"

Charles glanced up, his eyes full of rage. He suddenly launched himself off the chair.

"You know Otho, you might be right!" He said shaking his head. "Of all the lousy ideas-" He growled before looking back to Otho. ".. Your invited to go out to dinner with us tonight." Otho smirked.

"Why? Because I solved your problem?" He asked as smug as ever.

"No- Because I think Lydia knows that we have been meeting up.. I don't know how.. I haven't written anything down, or said anything."

"Maybe you talk in your sleep" Otho mused

"No, no, no.. I think.. I think HE had something to do with this.." He whispered looking to the clock. "Can you make it to dinner?"

"...Well- I did have prior engagements, but I suppose I could meet the family again for a little bit."

"That's fine.. We have a play to catch anyway. Beauty and the Beast. I couldn't believe Lydia agreed to see it." he said moving to the door. "Meet us at Planet Hollywood" he called as he headed for the door again, leaving the over sized man.

* * *

><p>Lydia sat in the restaurant, a parent on each side and Otho across from her. She was trying to tell if he had gained weight, or if he just expanded his wardrobe to other colors that didn't agree with his form, and by the looks he was giving her, she could only assume that he was mentally observing her attire as well.<p>

"So Otho, what have you been up to these days?" Delia asked, still smitten by the man you left them for dead. Otho offered her a smile.

"Well my dear, I have resigned from all paranormal activities..." He paused giving a quick glance to Charles, which Lydia took note of, the continued. "And I am continuing my work in home decore. I am actually going to be helping with the renovation of some Trump hotels." He said taking a sip of his coffee.

"I guess these are tough times for everyone then." Lydia mused softly, which got a chuckle from her father.

Otho kept his tongue back. If she were in a healthier state, he might of spat a comeback, but even then she was always a hard one to get at. You can't embarrass those who don't care for company. He instead focused back onto Delia.

"And how is my rising star?" The question cause the middle aged woman to blush like a young school girl.

"Oh Otho, well I am beginning to see a rise in commissions.. I guess people are finally beginning to appreciate art." She said with a smile before looking to Charles. "I really wish you would of told me of this sooner, then maybe we ALL could of gone to see the play together.." But Otho shook his head as he pushed himself away from the table.

"Oh no Delia, I couldn't! I must be off anyway. Perhaps I can see you again before you take off back to that hick town.."

"Oh yes, let's do brunch tomorrow!" Delia said with a smile. "Just the two of us, Charles wanted to spend the day with Lydia tomorrow so I have nothing to do!" Otho grinned.

"Then it's a date, meet me at my apartment at noon. Tah tah Deetz." He said leaving the family just as the check arrived.

* * *

><p>Lydia was somewhat enchanted by the Broadway Theater as they stepped into the building. It had a modern victorian appeal to the architect and furnishing inside. She was taking it all in when Delia took her head.<p>

"Well Come on Lydia! I don't want to miss the curtain!" She said pulling her for the doors.

"Actually- I'll you you guys in there, I need to use the bathroom real quick." she lied which allowed her to be free of Delia's hold.

"Well better go before curtains open!" She called as she dragged Charles off. Lydia smiled before wandering off to see what else the building had to offer.

She came to a halt when she turned a corner to see a hallway, the lights dead leaving only shadows. Moving shadows. She slowly made her way down, her black dress flowing behind her. "..Hello?" She called looking down the pitch black hallway before she froze.

It hit her again. That paralyzing fear. Her stomach churned and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She tried to make a sound but only a ragged breath came out of her mouth.

She saw them, the eyes, and not just one pair but dozens! Dozens and dozens of eyes looking right at her. She wished for more than anything she could of become invisible at this very moment. But they knew she was there, and they were already making their way on her. Slowly, like a pack of wolves on a sheep who was separated from the rest of the flock. She fled, running faster than she ever had, thankful that she did not take Delia on the offer of heels and stuck with her worn out boots.

She ran for the theater doors, but stopped seeing they were already blocked off, more of these things filled the once empty room. Now it was her, and at least one hundred of these things. They began to close in on her, her heart was racing. She began to back herself into the wall before she turned into it, wanting to hide, hoping she would just vanish right there.

The spirits swirled around her, never getting closer than a few feet away, with each attempt they made to go in for the kill it was as if a wall they could not pass came upon them.

"Why is this happening?" Lydia whispered to herself, and no answer came. Only the moans and whispers from the ghouls surrounding her.

Barbra and Adam couldn't come to her rescue.

"Beetlejuice"

Otho would be more likely to ruin things rather than help them.

"Beetlejuice"

And she couldn't even trust her father to tell her the truth.

"...Beetlejuice.." She breathed eyes still clamped shut, hiding into the wall when she felt hand on her shoulder. Her dark eyes met his green. She almost smiled before he shoved her into the wall glaring around.

"Why the FUCK did you call me now?!" He hissed, his eyes on her once again.

"..I thought you could help me! Last time you-"

"Last time was different toots!" He shouted before he shook his and looked around at the soul suckers encircling them. His eyes then went to Lydia again spotting the Evil Eye around her slender neck. "You lucked out kid, he said tapping on the necklace. "That right there will keep them from getting at ya, wards off evil spirits and stuff." Lydia blinked, shocked that the necklace actually worked in the intended method.

"Wait- then how is it that you are still so close?" She asked pushing the dead man's hands off of her.

"Because, I want to marry ya, not kill ya or anything." He scoffed before he looked around, his back to the wall now as well. "...There is something wrong." He whispered.

"You think?" Lydia asked rolling her eyes up to him.

"I mean it." Beetlejuice growled back. "..There should NEVER be this many dead ghosts on the loose.." He whispered.

"Well can't you send them back or something?!" Lydia exclaimed.

"No, can you?!" He asked before shaking his head. "..We can't stay here though.. The more that gather, the weaker your little necklace gets. Soon it won't do Jack shit." His eyes focused onn several of the ghosts before his eyes met Lydia's again.

She was giving him that look again, that she had all about given up on life, yet still remained a spark inside. He groaned shoving his hand into his jacket pocket, pulling out a piece of chalk.

"...Let's hope you are as special as I think you are.." he whispered turning to the wall and drew a rectangle large enough for the two to fit in. He ignored the quizzical look on her face and took a step back. Returning the chalk back into his pocket his left hand found Lydia's and held onto it as though he was holding on for his life, and in many ways he was.

"..Kid. I'm warning you now. It's a freak show in there. So don't be screaming or anything. Got it?"

Lydia nodded slowly, unsure of his intentions, but once he knocked on the rectangle three times, and that erie green light that she saw over five years ago, nearly blinding her now, she understood. He was taking her to the Neither World.

Where the chalk lines stood, a door way was coming into place, and on the other side of the door way, Lydia could see what appeared to be a city, much like New York city, but far more dead in every aspect. She hesitated before she looked up to Beetlejuice who was watching her now. Without a word the two walked in, closing off the world of the living behind them.

* * *

><p>Hey guys, I just want to thank all my readers as well as those who follow the story, but I have a question for you all!<p>

I am a fork in the road, I don't know if I want Beetlejuice and Lydia to actually take a shot at a romance, or if I should just stay off that road. If there is a romance between the two I may add in a chapter that as some adult material, if so I will make sure not to put any important parts in that chapter so if you want to skip it you can :] So I would love some feed back on this. Thanks again.


	7. Neither Here Nor There

Lydia turned her head to see if the predators followed, but to their luck the door had already shut them out. Once assured that she no longer had to fear for her life, she turned her attention to The Neither World. It was better than she imagined. The grass was blue, the sky was green with purple clouds, everything was opposing her world and she loved every bit of it.

"Babes, you can let go now." She heard a familiar voice call which snapped her back to reality.

Her dark eyes met his green before they darted to her hand, still clenching to Beetlejuice's.

"Whoops... Sorry Beej" She said with a slight blush, embarrassed but he just shrugged it off along with a scoff.

"Better not keep those wandering eyes, kid." He barked before he scratched his chin. "In fact... you should ditch some of this stuff." He muttered. His eyes darting around in search of witnesses, and when he knew he was in the clear he pushed her up to a nearby wall and started tearing at her clothes.

Lydia shrieked, slapping him across the face, which in turn made him yelp.

"What the hell was that for?!" He snapped, tending to his 'wound' tenderly. Lydia's jaw nearly dropped.

"Me?! You're the one who couldn't keep his hand to himself!" She spat dusting herself off. "Ugh… Delia is going to kill me when she sees this..." She groaned, and before she knew it the poltergeist was right back on her.

"BeetleJui-!" But she was silenced by his hand, covering her mouth.

"Listen Babes, believe me, I would love to have it with you here and now, sure maybe even have a bit of a fist fight, but you ain't gonna pass for a dead beat looking all pretty and what not." He said watching her. "I'm gonna take my hand away now... no more screaming. We can save that for later." He said with a wink as he removed his hand.

Lydia still watched him, unsure if his intentions were true, but he could have just left her for dead back in the world of the living.

"You have it cut out though Lyds. " Beetlejuice spoke as he knelt down, both hands on the hem of the bottom of the dress. "You already look perfect for a coffin. Pale skin, dark eyes, and heck, let's face it." He said as he tore a slit right up to mid-thigh. "You don't exactly have the liveliest personality out there." Lydia rolled her eyes, letting the dead man tend to her 'make over'.

After a few more rips, a removed glove and some dirt Lydia was a perfect candidate for Miss Graveyard.

"Alright doll face, if anybody asks how you got here just ignore 'em. You look like a rape victim, so act like a rape victim. "He ordered peeking out onto the side walk. "Better yet, just let me do the talking. Stay close, stay silent... and uh... just don't look happy."

Lydia nodded quickly before he grabbed a hole of her hand yet again and dragged her though the streets.

"So where are we going anyway?" Lydia asked, doing her best not to let her eyes wander.

"Well, babes, if you want to know, we are going to The Dead Committee, to see Juno. Maybe she can help sort out why so many of those closet jockeys are on the loose." He said without even looking at her.

Lydia had to admit, the man was impressing her. He had her right where he wanted her and yet he was focused on the mission, which she really didn't know, but still. He was determined if anything at all.

The deeper into the city, the more signs of life began to pop up. Well, maybe not life, but certainly forms of existence. She saw demented looking cats and beastly dogs. She always knew animals had an afterlife as well. In the ninth grade she had been sent to the principal's office for having a heated debate with a teacher on the subject of animal rights. When the teacher said 'animals didn't have souls, it's okay to kill them' Lydia simply responded with a statement. "I read that's most serial killers responses to their victims. Tell me Mrs. Thatcher, are you a serial killer?"

The semester of lunch detention as well as after school detention was worth it.

Beetlejuice came to a halt once they came to a sky scraper. "This is it, kid. This is where all the magic happens." Lydia cocked an eyebrow at the notion of magic, but that's just how he spoke. Everything was a show to him. She pondered then if that's what he did in his past life. She could see him being the jester for a king, maybe not the best when it came to jokes, but maybe his jokes became morbid when he passed on. He was certainly a mystery.

The ghost did one final check up on the girl to make sure she was passible.

"Beej? If- If they realize I'm not dead… what will they do?" She asked, fear wasn't traced in her voice, but he could see it in her eyes.

"I dunno babes, most likely just give you the boot back home." He said, though truth be told he didn't believe that himself. Something was going on, he wasn't sure what. But he was going to find out. "Come on. " He said hooking his arm around hers. "If anybody asks, just say that I paid for the day." He said giving her a wink before pulling her into the office building.

Lydia wasn't sure why she would have to say anything at all until she saw the reactions of the people in the lobby. One man, who was more so bones than actual flesh, dove right into a trash can when the two entered.

"…Do you always get this reaction?" She asked glancing up at him.

"Hmm? Oh, yea." He said with a shrug. "Should have seen in when I first got out of prison. Oh man! People were trying to kill themselves all over again!" He said with a smirk.

"You went to prison- no wait, they have prison here?" She asked in shock. He gave a nod as the two pulled up to the elevator.

"Oh yea, I got five years for the stunt I pulled on you and the Maitland's." He said with a smirk.

"Only five?"

"Hey babes, I was just as shocked as you." He said as the elevator doors opened. "Now let's see… was it floor twenty one, or one hundred twenty one, maybe it was forty-one. No! Seventy two!" He said but shook his head. "Nope, it was defiantly twenty one." He said pressing the button which showed the number 21 which in turn closed the doors.

To Lydia's surprise the elevator was rather fast, perhaps too fast.

The elevator doors reopened to reveal a room which seemed to emit green light. It looked like a doctor's office. Various chairs sat around the room, and in every seat sat a person, though some of the people didn't look like, well, people.

Beetlejuice was rather shocked at how well Lydia reacted to the Neither World Population, maybe too well.

She was grinning from ear to ear. I man who died from a nail gun was her main area of attention until she spotted the receptionist, Miss Argentina, who was as radiant and green as ever. She however didn't think quiet so highly of 'the ghost with the most'.

"Beetle, back so soon? I was so sure that they would just ship ya to Saturn." She spat while filing her nails. Beetlejuice grinned now, approaching the dead woman, the living girl on his heel.

"Aw shucks, you flatter me. Though you know... I would have thought that after working here... what... fifteen years, they would at least promote you to something respectable... like a janitor!" The woman narrowed her eyes, shifting her gaze to Lydia briefly then back to the ghoul.

"What do you want, Beetle? And uh, who is your friend?" She asked, giving Lydia another look over. Beetlejuice maintained is grin.

"Well, aren't you just green with envy?" He teased. "This here is my new friend... And you know, me being such a standup guy, I just wanted to introduce her to Juno."

"Is Juno her case worker? I don't recall seeing that file."

"Oh, well just call up Juno, even if she isn't hers, she'll still see the girl. Trust me." Miss Argentina sat back then proceeded to fold her arms.

"She's going to have to take a number, just like the rest of the dead beats in here." Which got a cheer from the rest of the members in the room. Lydia sighed heavily.

"Come on Beej, let's just take a number." She groaned, moving the take a ticket, but the ghost instead wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close to his side.

"Listen Carrot Top, just call her up. Ask her if me and my- fiancé can see her. Maybe treat her to lunch." He said giving Lydia a wink.

Eyeing the pair suspiciously for another moment, the green woman finally gave in and dialed the extension to Juno's office.

"Hi there Juno… Yes, I know you don't like to be interrupted…. No, I do have better things to do, but Beetlejuice and his girlfriend-"

"Fiancé" Beetlejuice corrected.

"Sorry, fiancé, want to see you…. Mhmm." She glanced to Lydia now, inspecting her carefully. "Yea, that's her I guess. Personally I think that- What's that? Okay. Yes, I'll send them right up." She said before hanging up the phone. Normally she would attempt at a sarcastic smile to let the customer know they could proceed, but with Beetlejuice, she presented the most displeased look she could produce.

"Go on then!" She said, and not needing to be told again, Beetlejuice dragged Lydia into the next room, far more livelily than the waiting room, the office was teaming with movement. Skeletons clacking away at type writers, disemboweled men passing along memos, and the two were nearly smacked by a human rug.

Beetlejuice didn't allow Lydia too long to admire the work place, instead he aimed for the main office space, a closed off room with Juno's name on the door.

Upon entering, Juno closed all of the blinds. Peeking out the window, she then turned back to the two, her attention directed on Beetlejuice.

"Are you mad?!" She asked in a hushed yell. The man grinned taking a seat, while Lydia remained standing.

"Well I don't know about mad, I am rather curious though..." He said propping his boots on the desk. "Since when did we start leaving the closet door open?" He asked eyeing her as she made her way around the desk. Juno shook her head as she took her seat.

"You got too close Beetle. The committee wants you GONE. "She said lighting up a cigarette and pointed to Lydia. "As well as the girl."

"Me?!" Lydia asked, rage rising in her voice. She still stood towards the back. "What did I do?!"

"That's their fail safe kid." Juno mumbled. "They claim that if those suckers don't get Beetle, than at least they will get rid of you, preventing out... 'Friend' here from ever rejoining the living." Beetlejuice had to chuckle.

"Do they seriously think that offing the kid would stop me, I mean, come on? I've been around long enough to know that there are plenty more fish in the sea… No offense babe." He said glancing back at her. Lydia frowned but didn't respond.

"There may be plenty more fish... but Beetle, you know she's more than just a catch. Everyone involved in your case knows that."

"Why? Because she's 'special'?" He asked, which the correct answer was that indeed.

"It would be easy for any ghost to get out if all the had to do was marry a fleshy. " Juno started. "But their souls aren't strong enough to support that kind of union." Lydia blinked looking to the two.

"Wait. Just- just wait." She started, moving between the two. "What's this now about me being special? I mean for Christ's sake, I've never been one to get top marks, or score a winning goal-"

"Lyds, babes, darling…" Beetle said looking at her. "You are. How can I put this...?" He started. Juno shook her head looking at the girl.

"You see ghost far better than most do. Kid, it's not talent, it's a gift. You're what people would refer to as... a medium. You not only see ghosts, but you can touch them, I mean hell, here you are. A living girl in the Neither World." She said leaning back in her chair taking a drag. "It was said to be impossible. Yet here you are..." Lydia nodded slowly before glancing back to Beetlejuice. He gave her a nod.

"So, what now?" She asked looking to Juno.

"Now? Well now we have too-"She stooped before hearing the door open. One of her subordinates, a feeble man who didn't look like death.

"Juno, ma'am. Mr. D'Angelo is on his way down to see you."

"Shit!"

"Shit. Why shit?" Beetlejuice asked getting to his feet. "Did Walter set this up?"

"Beetle, Walter is in charge around here now." She spat looking to Lydia. "Kid, it's a good thing you don't stick out like a sore thumb around here. In fact, you fit in better than Jason here." She said nodding to the feeble man who announced Walter's pending arrival. "Beetle, scram, now." She ordered. Beetlejuice groaned before he snapped his fingers and vanished,.

Only seconds later did Walter D'Angelo enter the room, and he didn't look pleased.

"Alright Juno, you know him better than anyone else, where is he?" He roared as Lydia backed away from the desk and went to a wall to observe the photos hung around the room. Juno couldn't help but smirk.

"Guess your plan didn't work out for you." Walter growled and nodded. "We were so close. We lost track of their souls. Beetle is MIA, but we are pretty sure we got the girl... After all. Not like she could make it here with him." He said smiling. "She's strong, but no one can do that."

Lydia was thankful that her back was to Walter, her could be assassin. She couldn't help but smile at the idiocy. This bozo and Otho would have been two peas in a pod.

Her eyes came upon a photo of Juno receiving an award of some sort, but what caught her eye wasn't that Juno was actually smiling, but that Beetlejuice was hiding in the photograph. He gave her a wave, but she could only return a smile.

"Now who's this pretty wilted flower?" She heard Walter say now. Unsure of who he was talking about, Lydia glanced over her shoulder and met Walter's eyes. Though she was caught off guard, she managed to make a quick recovery.

"Audrey." She started. "Audrey Dean. I'm- new here." She lied, hoping her time spent in drama club paid off.

"Audrey. What a classic name, for a classy lady..." He said approaching her. "Tell Me, Audrey. What was your poison of choice?" He asked surveying her. She offered the best smile she could, which was hardly a smile at all.

"Well... I had a little too much to drink, and thought it might be nice to take the pain away with some meds too." She whispered, making up a back story as she went.

"Ah. Yes. You seem like quite the dramatic type." He said with a smirk. "It was a pleasure meeting you Audrey." He said as he pulled out a business card and handed it to her. "If you need a tour guide, I'd be more than happy to fill up that roll, and anything else that needs filling." He said sending her a wink before he turned on his heel.

"I'll be back Juno. And oh. Maybe keep her towards the front. This is such a dreadful place, having her be the first person I see may brighten up my day." He called back as he left the room, closing the door behind him.

Once they were free from his presence, Beetlejuice came right back to the room, fuming with anger. He snatched the card from Lydia's hand and set it aflame.

"What a no good, two faced, bride snatching, murder hungry, fat fuck!" He hissed tossing the ashes of the card in the air. "Who does he think he is?!"

"He knows he runs this town Beetle. Now calm down. Lydia is safe, they think she is dead, so just give it time and they'll stop looking for you."

"Oh yea, he thinks she is as stiff as a board, and there he was, wanting to give her his stiff board!" He spat looking to Lydia and shook his head. "Nice save by the way."

Lydia sighed and nodded making her way for a chair. She threw herself into the seat like a rag doll.

"Well it's not like I had the option of being myself here..." She whispered. "Does that mean I can go home now, without having to worry about those damn things eating me?"

"No chance kid, they'll still smell ya. By the way, you do smell pretty good." He noted taking the seat next to hers. Juno could only shake her head.

"Well we can't have her stay here!" Juno shrieked. "You saw the way Walter was with her! I bet you my pack of cigarettes he's trying to find out everything he can about the poor thing!"

"Well her options are A. she stays here and gets to enjoy the mobsters meat balls, 2. Go back home and get devoured by the suckers, or we can go with her marrying me. Everybody wins, nobody dies and I am the one getting laid."

Lydia had another moment of white noise as Beetlejuice and Juno continued to have a screaming match. None of the choices pleased her at all. But, she wouldn't mind staying her so long as she could keep Walter away. Maybe it was the fact that he wanted her permanently dead that made him more of a turn off than Beetlejuice.

"… Is it possible for me to die here? Like from age or sickness?" She asked looking up from her trance. Juno frowned at the question, as did Beetlejuice.

"Well- it's hard to say. There has never been a living person here before. Sure, every now and again we have a mediums mind blindly poking around in search of lost loved ones... but never an actual being!"

Lydia smirked. Beetlejuice was able to go haunt the living world as much as he pleased it seem, just not fully exist, but Lydia could make it in both worlds fairly well.

"…I'm in." She whispered standing up. "I want to stick around for a bit. Just until I know how to deal with those suckers..." She noted out loud before looking to Beetlejuice. "And you promised me a tour." He scoffed at that.

"Whoa, you said when you die. You ain't dead, you're just a tourist babe." Juno nodded in agreement.

"Lydia, you can't stay here. I won't allow it. You have any idea how many violations you must be breaking right now?!" Lydia could only shrug as she got to her feet.

"What can you guys do? Arrest me? I don't even belong here." Beetlejuice was grinning now, enjoying the bad streak the girl was giving off now.

"We'll kick you out! Beetlejuice, bring her back home now." Juno ordered as Beetlejuice grabbed Lydia's hand.

"Nah, you heard her June Bug. I owe this little lady a tour!" He shouted dragging Lydia before Juno could say another word to the pair.

Beetlejuice grinned as they made it to the elevator.

"It's not all that great around here kid, but I figure I can find something to interest you. How about grub first, or we can go to my place, you can settle in with me for a bit."

Lydia smiled as she pressed for the bottom floor. "Sounds swell Beej, what do ghosts even eat?" She asked as the doors closed.


	8. Twenty Questions

**Salutations readers! I just want to thank you for your support and views and I'd would also like to apologize for not being as active as I should. I think I'll be able to have the next chapter up by the end of the month. As always reviews are appreciated and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**

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><p>Lydia tried to keep her gaze ahead but it was hard to control her wandering eyes. Though these people were 'dead' some of the characters they passed by were more lively than the class clowns in her old school. Well that was a lie, most of the residents of The Neither World looked down right miserable.<p>

"The looking glass." She mumbled to herself without realizing the words left her mouth into the atmosphere.

"Come again?" The Ghost with the Most inquired, Lydia then smiled up at him.

"You know, the looking glass from Alice and Wonderland?" But he still didn't seem to get it which made her sigh. "In the story of Alice in Wonderland, Alice is transported to a world where everything that isn't is, and what is isn't." She said as she watched a car speed past them. "A land of non sense, but yet it made perfect sense."

"So what? You think this is that place?" He asked, though at this point in the conversation the ghoul lost nearly all interest in it. He only kept up because he liked the sound of his own voice.

"Oh no, of course not. Unless of course you have talking Cheshire cats that can grin from ear to ear and a Red Queen whos favorite pastime is beheading people."

"That's Juno for ya." Beetlejuice scoffed. "But what are you getting at babe?"

"Well. I wanted to come here so badly. Would have off'd myself had it not been for-…" She came to a stop not only in speech but in movement.

"The Maitlands." He muttered rubbing the back of his neck.

"They aren't here. Are they?" She asked with eyes so full of hope, but a voice of dread. The ghoul could only shake his head.

"'Fraid not babe." He muttered. "Word has it they got an early release?" He asked, unsure of the situation, but he hit the nail right on the head.

"They got to pass on because they were able to fulfil their mission in life."

"Uhhh- being?" came the disgruntled voice of her ex 'betrothed'.

"To have a family." Lydia came, now starting to get teary eyed at the memory. "I mean I thought that they would of out stayed me. I only had a year with them and then all the sudden there was that stupid door!" Now the water works were coming. "And Barbra said that they had to go, but they didn't have too, did they?!"

"Christ kid, whent did you become such a drama queen?" he muttered pulling out a hankerchief from his pocket, a spider hanging on it by its own thread, but Lydia was already using her sleeves.

"Sorry." She spat. "What was I thinking, opening up to the guy I was going to marry thinking he would have some pity on me."

"Yea, what were you thinking." He spat back before eyeing the area to ensure no one heard them. "Look I get it, your away from home for the first time, walking around a sketchy area with a dead guy, got things that want to suck out your soul, but this ain't exactly the time nor the place to get all emotional, but if you want to confess your love for me, there is chapel down about a block or two and we can get hitched by Elvis, and I don't mean a Vegas Elvis but you know, the king himself!" He said with a chuckle which got a smirk out of the girl.

"Nah. I think I'll pass." She said with a half hearted laugh, which he expected as much.

"Suit yerself babes, but don't you get all green with envy like Dogo Argentino back at the office." He said with a wink as he took another look around. "Now let's see here. Got you to see Juno, went to the Dumpster Dive Diner, took a lovely stroll along the Dead Sea… Damn, as far as first dates go, I think I did pretty good. Next up would be to drop you off at home, but being that that's not in the cards, looks like you are coming home with me." He said with a grin, but Lydia just laughed.

"Alright, where do you live?" She asked, but in the blink of an eye the two were sitting down on a sofa that clearly had seen better days, before a televion that was literally on it's last leg. His arm wrapped around her shoulder and a cold one poped into his free hand.

"Now I know what you are thinking. How on earth could you leave me at the altar? Cause' I mean come on?! Would you look at that TV? Nothing says success better than how good of a home entertainment system you got." He joked, but Lydia was already off the couch inspecting his 'home'.

Cobwebs in every corner, several layers of dust covered any furniture piece that you couldn't sit on, clothes tossed about the floor and drapped on a chair here, a lone sock on the ceiling fan that shook as though it would come off its hynges at any given moment. The phrase of 'how could anyone live like this' came to mind but the fact of the matter was that this man had not lived for over a hundred years.

Her gaze move down the hall to spot a bed room, though she calculated it would be best to stear clear from that area altogether. Moving back to the couch she sat where she was seated before though now her body faced towards him now inspecting him.

Feeling her eyes praying on him, the ghost shifted his gaze from the television to the dame.

"Uhh.. Can I help you?"

"Did you really live though the black plague?"

"What?"

"You know, the plague. I asked Barbra and Adam about you, being that they spent more time with you, and they said that you told them you lived though the black plague." He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Wanted to know what you missing out then, huh?" He asked setting his beer down and dug into his coat pocket for a pack of cigarettes.

"Can you just answer the question?" she snapped as he lit up the cigarette and took in a drag before releasing a trail of smoke into the air.

"You answer mine, and I'll answer yours." He said tossing his head fully to her.

Eying him suspiciously unsure if he would keep to his word, or more so if it was even worth getting into it with him, but curiosity got the better of her.

"I just wanted to know what I was about to get myself into." She confessed.

"What did they say?" He countered but Lydia folded her arms.

"Oh now, I answered your question already, you don't get an answer until I do." She warned whisch cracked a smile from the dead man's lips as he took in another drag.

"..Yea. I lived though it. Saw all of Bill Shakespeare's plays, and was even offered the role of Hamlet by Bill himself."

"You met William Shakespeare? But wait, the plague ended nearly two hundred years before-"

"Not necessarily. The plague kept at it for a while longer than your books teach. Death just wasn't as constant in later years, but it was still around, and yes I met William, but he really wasn't all that grand. Yea he could write plays in his sleep, but the guy was a dick."

"And you aren't?" She mocked arching a brow. She had him there.

"Touche'. But now you owe me three answers if we are still playing by your rules." Lydia gave a gruff sigh laying back against the arm rest.

"Alright, ask your three questions." He grinned at her annoyance. This game of hers was now in his favor.

"What did the 'honorable Maitland's have to say about me again?"

"Not much other than you were a no good pervert, and the only thing worse than your hygenie were your jokes."

"OW! Babe, below the belt much?" He yelped going into a defensive position in case of another assault of his pride.

"I'm only answering what they said, so that makes two. One more before I can ask again." He cursed softy at the realization of a wasted question.

"Has to be a good one.." He mused taking in a third and final drag from the cigarette before flicking the remainder across the room. "Let's me think now." His eyes roaming the ceiling for the perfect question before the girl got hold of the reins again.

"What." He paused wondering if that was the question he should go with.

"No. Who, wait, how about- let me see let me see." His right hand moving to scratch the back of his head.

"Vampires or Werewolves?!" He shouted hoping to catch her off guard to win himself another question.

"Vampires." She said without so much of a bat of an eye causing the ghost to moan in defeat.

"I knew it. Should have asked you if you preferred Fantasy or Science Fiction." He muttered which earned him a giggle from the pale, frail and beau-ti-fal gal. Closing his eyes, he waited for Lydia to serve up the next question.

"Were you married before? Because that ring you gave me, you said-"

"Nah. Was just a joke." He quickly interjected before she could finish. "But don't worry. Even though I don't have experience in being wed, I do have it in bed." He said with a toothy grin which made Lydia's stomach churn.

"Gross." She muttered shaking her head.

"Have you had your cherry popped?"

"You can't be serious." She muttered.

"Oh but I am. That's my question for you. Did you lose your virginity yet?"

"If I say yes, does that mean the wedding's off?" She asked, her voice thick with sarcasum.

"Oh no, I'd still marry the hell out of ya babes. I'm in it for the benefits, you being a hottie is just a bonus. Also, I get another question." His eyes still shut tight.

"…. No. I've failed as a young prievlaged white girl to give up my virginity in the back of some jock's shit Subaru." She muttered, expecting Beetlejuice to be eyeing her like a slab of meat once more but to her surprise he remained still with his eyes shut.

"Have you done oral at least?"

"For the love of-! No, No I have not preformed any sexual act of any sort on anyone."

"Not even on yourself?"

"No, and it's my turn now." She spat.

"Fire away babes." He muttered unphased, though he was somewhat disappointed by the less than juicy answers she gave.

She was silent for what seemed like hours to the ghost. Days even. He was nearly convinced he had pissed her off enough for her to forfit this game of their when her voice rang out again.

"How did you die?"

His eyes shot open and immeadiatly went to hers. He should of expected this question to come up but he couldn't believe she'd bring it up, at least not so soon. His gaze moved from her doe eyes to the ceiling fan and the sock that clung to one of the blades.

"Let's just say that even when I was alive, people didn't take too kindly to me." He muttered though he knew that it wasn't a suitable answer. He just pryed the girl on her sex life and here he was getting sqimish on the end of his.

"So you didn't kill yourself?" She asked gently then nodded as she got to her feet.

"… No. I didn't kill myself." He muttered looking away.

"It's your turn." She reminded but he paid her no mind. "I'm going to guess that it's game over for the night?"

"Yea. Game over kid." He spat to which she could only nod.

"It couldn't of been worse that what I have, could it?" She got him once again. What this girl had on her tail was worse than a death sentence, and she didn't even do anything to deserve it.

"…. No. No I suppose it wasn't." He said looking her in the eye again, she nodded in response before looking down the hall to the bedroom. She might of sworn off his room, but the events of the day were finally catching up with her.

"You can rest easy tonight. I hardly ever go in there anyway." He muttered reaching for the beer he had compeltly forgotten about, the can breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Are you sure? Because I could-"

"I'm sure kid. Just go get your beauty sleep, but be ready to out the window or under the bed come morning."

"Why's that?" Lydia asked confused.

"You heard D'Angelo before. Him and his posse' have been looking everywhere for me, and though for most people home is the first place one would look, in my case, home is the last place they'd look." He warned taking a sip of the beer. "The fuck already has it in for me. And if he sees Audrey Dean all cozied up in my bed, well, then he is just going to get me on the next trip to Saturn."


	9. A Pair of Sinking Ships

Just as Beetlejuice predicted, Walter was not only outside his home, but threatening to have the front door torn down if he was not let in. The Ghost with the Most gave a growl and he propped himself up from the couch, but before his hand could even touch the door knob the door was torn right from the wall and tossed to the side, revealing that Walter not only had back up, but that his back up had a twin, and as it turned out, the brothers were Russian body builders that had died from playing Russian Roulette with a con.

Lydia was wide awake from the sound of the house being torn open, though she did not have a view of what was going on, the door to BJ's room was shut and locked from the inside. She jumped out of the bed and made her way for the door, pressing her ear to it in hopes to get an idea of what was going on the other side.

"Well Walter. Ain't this a lovely surprise?" He asked shoving his hands into his pockets, a wryly grin across his lips.

"Save it Beetle!" the portly man spat as he and his men entered the home. Being that the two brutes weren't ripping up the rest of the house, Beetlejuice assumed that the visit was for an interrogation rather than investigation.

"Where were you last night?" Walter growled moving to the kitchen and grabbed the only chair it offered.

"Fucking your mother. She wanted me to ask you why you never call her." And with that the twins glanced to their employer who gave a nod and with that nod came one hell of a beat down.

The uglier of the two, (though both of them were rather ghastly looking even by Beetle's standards) held the poltergeist as his brother delivered blows to the torso and face. While this display of brutality went on, Walter did his best to get comfortable. Seating himself in the least repulsive furniture piece then went on to inspecting his finger nails, after a few moments of battling a hang nail and deciding to take it out once free in his office or home he finally glanced up at the three before him.

"Enough." He muttered, and the one delivering the punches stopped but the twin who restrained Beetlejuice did not release the victim, who was chuckling softly.

"I'll ask you again. Last night**, **where were you?" He asked dryly. Beetlejuice's face lit up.

"Well I'd ask you the same thing, but I'm willing to bet you were in between these two at some point during the night." He said with a bloodied grin. The twins glanced at each other before looking back to Walter who looked to be turning a darker shade of blue.

"Listen here you shit faced fool. I know for a fact that you have been crossing boarders again! I might have destroyed the only piece of evidence I had to prove it but you are going to rue the day you died!"

"Oh Wally, I'm shaking in my fucking boots" the ghoul spat back. "What are you gonna do bub. Hmm? Gonna skin me up? Chop me up into itty bity pieces? In case you haven't noticed, I'm already fucking dead!"

"Maybe I'll burn you at the steak." Walter hissed softly, which made a spark flare in BJ's eyes.

"Oh? Don't like that idea, do you?" The former mobster asked. ".. I dug up some of your files. I know what you were, what you still are. "He hissed eyeing him. "... If I threw you in the closet... those suckers would be on you like white on rice."

Holding back a wince, the ghoul continued to watch the portly man with a new sense of awareness. "You don't know shit."

"I know enough. And you've already earned enough strikes to be sentenced to Saturn on your next fuck up." Walter then snapped his fingers and the goons released the bloodied ghost. "But seeing that I'm moving on up in the realm, I could use my influence to ensure that for the rest of eternity you will know the true meaning of suffering. Just imagine it for a second you worthless piece of scum. Eternal suffering, unable to stop the pain, or lessen the agony, or-"

"Walter, I actually imagine it. I experience it whenever you're in the same room, Bub."

A chuckled was all he got from the dead gangster. However he was delivered a swift kick to the jaw by one of the twins, sending him back and causing an ear shattering crack when his skull collided with the floor. A moan escaping the lips of the ghoul was payment enough to get Walter to leave.

"I'll be back later, there's a pretty little wilted flower that I'd like to recruit as my 'personal' secretary..." He said with a smirk abandoning the bloodied dead man.

Lydia waited for what felt like an eternity before she unlocked the door and opening it. Her eyes scanning around to ensure that the coast was clear. Pushing the door fully open she spotted BJ laying on the floor. Convinced he was dead she ran to his side to check his vitals, which was pointless. The man hadn't had a pulse since lord knows when. She dipped her head close to his mouth in search of a sound of breathing or warm breath.

What she got was an ear full of a slithering wet and warm snake like tongue.

Shrieking she jumped back, and instinctively covered her ear, sending a death glare at the man who was doubled over from laughing.

"It's not funny! I thought they killed you!" Lydia spat, doing her best to clean out her ear of the saliva.

"Awe babe, it would take a lot more than two white Russians and a hard dick to put me out of my misery." He said with a grin watching her as he wiped away the blood from his mouth. "Though truth be told, you got it worse than me…"

"How so? And stop calling me babe!"

Rolling his eyes the ghost got to his feet and offered his hand to the girl who reluctantly took it so he could pull her to her feet.

"Because if you didn't hear him, he's got his eyes set on your little alter ego. And believe me, I've had the deep displeasure of working with that man for the past fifty something years, and if I can sum up that old fat fuck into a brief message, it's that he ALWAYS gets his way."

"Well he's not getting me... Dead or alive..." She spat walking towards the kitchen in search off some coffee.

"I'm telling you babe, he doesn't take no for an answer. Trust me. If you think I'm bad, you're in for a field day with him."

Lydia just rolled her eyes and sighed in defeat as she closed the pantry. All she found was an empty bag of potato chips and a can of spam.

Snapping his fingers two cups of coffee were produced and set out before the counter top. With a shy smile Lydia retrieved the mug closest to her. "Thanks." She muttered weakly as the ghost took his own.

"No sugar?"

She shook her head after taking a sip. "I like it black and as bitter as the devil's soul."

"Lucifer is actually a pretty nice guy. Those Christians actually got a lot of shit wrong, and left out some really juicy stuff." The statement nearly made her spit out her beverage.

"What?! He's real?!" She asked in disbelief. "And how the fuck would you know what's he like?! Is this… Oh my God, are we in hell?!"

"Calm your tits woman. I've met him a few times. He actually sat in for my last hearing for the council. Didn't have any input on my sentence. He just watched. He likes to visit from time to time. It's like a vacation home to him I guess."

"Why would Satan want to hear your court case?" Shrugging the ghost set down his cup.

"Couldn't tell ya babe. Maybe he wanted me to go on down south with him. Help spice things up?" He mused but shook his head. "I digress though, we need to get you out of Walter's sight."

"I can handle him. I survived getting past every other rich pretty boy in high school who wanted to make me a notch in his belt. What does this guy have on me?"

"OH hmm, let me just think for a moment. What does Walter have? Well he has the influence of the whole head of the dead committee, is head of the dead and living meet and greet shit, can summon any one of his jack off employees to snoop on you, pull up your files and records and let's not forget the two fucks who owe me a new front door."

"…..Fuck." Lydia hissed setting her coffee cup down.

"Yea, fuck babes. Because if you haven't done the math yet, this guy probably already requested your files to find out everything about you right down to the flowers at your funeral."

"Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Lydia screamed retreating to the bedroom to retrieve her shoes. "Shit! He's going to come up empty handed since I gave him a false name! How long do I have before he finds out I'm not who I said I am?!"

"Presuming he is as big of a perv as he seems, and he requested intel on you the moment he left Juno's office, I saw you got two days, tops."

"And then he's going to find out who I really am. Isn't he?" She asked in a whisper mostly to herself as she pulled up her boots. "What happens if he finds out that I'm-"

"Alive? Well I dunno babe. That's not exactly a run of the mill fuck up down here. I'm guess a few scenarios."

"And those would be?" She asked with an impatient growl.

"He may want to finish the job and just throw you in the closet with all those suckers, maybe send you to Saturn for the worms to get ya. Possibly use you against me to get rid of me for good and dump you back home. Though I could be low balling it here. The man claims to of been one of the head hit guys in the Mafia. Maybe he'll just keep you locked away all for himself."

The scenarios sent shivers down Lydia's frail spine. Her dark eyes meeting his with conviction she frowned.

"So what do we do?" He chuckled softly.

"Oh... What's that toots? You need a favor from me? Well do you recall the last time I helped you out? Hmm? I was fucking taken out by a sand worm thanks to your friends that I saved."

Glared at the ghost Lydia made her way back over to the kitchen the two now only inches apart.

"Listen. I asked for your help last time and you gave it, I'm in your fucking debt, I got it, but this guy wants both of us out of the picture so like it or not, we are in the same boat, if you don't want to help me, then fine, but you saved me back in the city-"

"Only because you called me." He hissed eyeing her like a wolf would to a wounded doe.

"But you still could have left me. So I'm sorry, but I am left to believe that you still want me." She spat. "And I'm sorry okay? I'm fucking sorry that you didn't get what you wanted last time we met, but I'm not playing by your rules anymore, I just want to bring this fucker down and spend what time I have left with my parents and maybe, just maybe, see Adam and Barbra again. So are you going to help me or not?" She asked her chest heaving in a sporadic pattern after letting out some much needed steam.

The ghost gave a sly smirk as he gave himself a refill on his coffee. Leaning in closer to her face his lips next to her ear now. Lydia half expected that tongue of his make its way into her ear yet again. She however didn't expect his answer.

**_"I'd tell ya not to let the door hit you on the way out, but the Russians made sure that won't happen."_** He whispered, his voice laced with venom.

With jaw at half slack, Lydia was left with no choice but to abandon the shack of a home. Normally she was a spit fire, able to get a comeback at the drop of the hat, however she was so sure he would have been with her on this to the bitter end. Be it for his obvious fascination with her or for his distaste for their common enemy. She made it to the door. And took a last glance over her shoulder to the ghost, and with that she left without giving the last word nor the last laugh.

Beetlejuice didn't move for where he stood for quite some time. Hadn't even taken a sip of his fresh brew and let it run cold just like the blood though his veins. Well that was a lie. His blood was far warmer than the coffee, in fact if he didn't know any better, he would have thought that his heart was racing at this moment.

She had the strangest effect on him. He couldn't recall the last time he let a dame get under his skin, couldn't remember the last time he met anyone who could put up with him, let alone someone he actually could say he enjoyed. In a fit of rage he threw the coffee cup against the wall, the porcelain exploding once it made contact with the surface and had leaned back against the counter to support his body which his legs no longer longed to do.

What did he do? What was he supposed to do? 'Oh of course I'll help you take out the fuck face out for my head just so you can die happy and go see Twiddle Dee and Dum, and leave me yet again!' His right hand ran though his hair and back to his neck as he began to plot out his next actions.

He wouldn't run after her. Refused it. The brat wanted to act like she didn't need him, so let her see what it was like running around the neitherworld without him. She'd be calling him for help in no time. She always did.

'But what if she can't?' Came a voice in his head. He ignored the question, but it would plague him later in the night. Wither he liked it or not, the girl was his only way out and now she was wandering around an unfamiliar world which did not have laws against violent altercations, a world that no longer recognized nor cared about victims, because everyone in this world was a victim to their own selfish thoughts.

Everyone but her.

* * *

><p><strong>Uh oh! Is Beej gonna go after her or leave Lyds for the dead beats? <strong>

**Anyway, I want to thank you guys for your continued support. I thought that by achieving a full time job I would be a little more organized with my time management and be able to dish out a story once a week but boy was I wrong. I have the week off however and my synlet fic is in great need of an update, and I've had a few other one shots that have been haunting me that I need to get out, so it may be a bit before I update this again. A month or so at most so don't despair! As always reviews are welcomed. Until next time guys!**

** ~Mandi**


	10. Beaten Half to Death

Lydia trudged though the streets of the Niether World, cursing the dead man she just departed from. She knew that was too much to ask of him, but she had to take the risk on the off chance that 'The Ghost with the Most' would assist her on setting things right. This was after all his home.

"_But it's not where he wants to be_." The voice in her head whispered ever so gently. She scoffed.

Lydia gave a heavy sigh before resting her back against a building, her doe eyes gazing up to the sky. She lost track of the time, and not even the sky could give her a hint as to what time of day it was. Then again, time didn't really matter to the dead, did it?

She stood for a while, unsure if she was admiring the 'heavens' above her or damning it, but it was beautiful. Green, pink, orange, purple and coal gray all swirling, meshing and mixing with one another.

"Well, you just rolled in recently. Am I right?" Came a strangled voice breaking the girl from her trance. Her eves moved to meet the owner of the voice. A man, maybe in his thirties, with auburn hair and brown cold eyes, which she could only describe as coffee stains. He wore a blue business suit with a white undershirt and black tie. Around his neck was a noose which still seemed to suffocate the man.

"Am I that obvious?" She asked folding her arms, continuing to survey him. She already had his life story just at a quick glance.

"Heh, just a bit. Only the fresh ones take time to look around. After a while it goes back to the same mundane experience of life after death. Only this time around you can't check out." He said with a laugh. She smiled back dryly before pushing herself off of the wall.

"The name is King. Joe King. What's yours?"

"Audrey Dean." She replied without hesitation.

"Liar."

"Excuse me?"

"You're lying." He repeated shoving his hands in his pockets. "Trust me, I was a jounalist. It's my job to call out liars." He said with a wink.

"Funny. I thought you guys were paid to lie." She retorted folding her arms.

"Oh, kitty's got claws! I like that. So tell me then, was that your street name? Because you know, if it was and you were looking for some work I-"

Lydia growled pushing off the wall and faced the dead beat, a scowl on her face.

"I'm not a hooker, nor am I interested in becoming one, so if you'll excuse me, I have somewhere to be."

"How is The Beetle these days anyway?" the stranger cooed as she turned away again. ".. Not many women go down his way, and even less come back without him on their tail. Or without coins on hand."

"Well nothing happened." Lydia spat.

"With D'Angelo speeding away from that shack, I have to call you a liar again." He said with a wryly grin. Lydia was liking this man less and less with each passing second.

"Tell me something King, did you off yourself because you came to realize that you couldn't even deal with yourself?"

"Eh. It was kind of a dead end scenario for me. Lost my job, caught my wife with the mail man, and my dog got hit by a car. You know how it is."

"So the deciding factor of your demise was the loss of your dog. That's somewhat admirable." She muttered folding her arms, facing him again. "So what do you know about D'Angelo?"

"Well he just got a promotion I hear, which is rather impressive but then again not many like taking on more responsibilities. The pay is shit no matter what job you take on." He mused making his way closer to the girl. "Enough about him though. I'll ask you again, do you need a job? And no, I don't mean as an escort or whatever. Like I said, I was a reporter on the other side, and I know a photographer when I see one, and being that in my hands a camera may as well be an expensive paper weight and only stories that make it down here are ones that include pictures, if wanted a job... I could get you a good gig with the paper."

Lydia held her breath for a moment. It was next to impossible to get a decent job out of high school, yet within the first day or so of arriving to the dead realm she was offered her dream job. Was this heaven?

"What's the catch?" She asked shifting her eyes to a glare.

"Well I've never seen anyone really willing of The Beetle's company, and I've interviewed everybody who's somebody down her except for him-"Lydia turned on her heel to shut out the vulture's question before it could be asked.

"Who cares?!" She shot back over her shoulder. "He's just a perverted stiff who only cares for himself!"

"That might be true." Alex started as he followed her. "But he is also the only stiff down here that landed himself down here with killing himself." This made Lydia stop.

"What did you say?"

"Yea! You didn't know that?! Well Shit, I mean you did just roll in. But the guy is one of the longest know resident here, and from what I can see there is no record on him ACTUALLY killing himself. No noose, no slit throat. There is some bloating which may point to drowning himself but... Well I have a theory. I think he is a witch."

"You're kidding me right?"

"I'm serious! Look, I've only been dead for maybe ten years, but awhile back he was on trial for harassing the living, but hauntings aren't out of the ordinary. No, he was on trial for trying to make a pact with some living girl, to upset the whole living and the dead deal. For a ghost to be seen is a hard task enough, but to actually take physical form?"

"Yea, you still sound crazy to me."

"Well, 'Audrey', you're dead, I'm dead, yet here we are having a conversation. Does a witch sound all that crazy really?" Lydia blinked at the response. He had a point, though he was wrong. She wasn't dead, but she could still talk to the dead. Maybe Beetlejuice having some magic properties wasn't out of question. After all, he was 'the ghost with the most'.

"Well Alex. I've actually already been offered a job, helping with the dead cases." She began not wanting to prolong the conversation. She had to admit that he was a good sleuth, and if he caught on that she didn't fit in here… She could just shudder at the consequence.

Alex produced a business card and handed it to her.

"If you change your mind. That's where you can find me. I hope to see you around Audrey." He muttered before making his way down the nearby alley.

Lydia waited until the ghoul was out of sight before she turned to make her way for Juno's office, only to bump into a pair of largely built men.

"Audrey Dean. That is the name of the girl we are looking for, is it not brother?"

"Da! Mister D'Angelo wishes for her presence."

Without warning she was swept up by the pair and dragged towards an old mobster car, kicking and screaming the whole way.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" Lydia shouted in protest.

"Our boss wants to see you, Miss Dean." Came one of the brothers.

"Well if he wanted to see me so badly he could have just come by the office." She lied. "And now I'm going to be late for my shift."

The pair chuckled tossing her into the back, locking her in.

"Oh don't worry about that, Miss Dean."

"Da, you've been fired!"

"Fired? What do you mean I've been fired?!" She exclaimed glaring at the two as they entered the front seats.

"For not showing up for your shift!" The twin who took the driver seat said looking over his shoulder.

"And for lying about who you are!" Chimed in the twin. "Naughty Madchen!" He teased happily.

"Mister D'Angelo is very disappointed..." The driver said in a mockingly sulk tone and grinned. "I hope he lets us punish you."

"Da." Came the passenger. "Me too. But Mister D'Angelo still wants to talk to you. Thinks you still have value."

Lydia feared the worst. Her first instinct was to escape the death cab by any means necessary. Pulling the handle while kicking the door accomplished nothing but upset her captors.

"The boss won't like it if she wrecks the car, Nikon." Came the driver, clearly disgruntled by the girl's furious thrashing.

"Da. Tying her up is what I must do Spartak." Came the passenger as he searched the glove compartment for something to bind the girl's limbs but there was nothing but a cob web, an old six shooter and an unpaid fine.

Lydia froze seeing the gun, not out of fear of fire arms, but what they could lead to. If she was shot, would the same laws apply here as they did in the living realm to her? Could she be killed here, and if so what would happen to her soul? She didn't know, and more so, she wasn't willing to risk it.

Settling down Lydia began to contemplate on all the scenarios on hand.

**Walter D'Angelo knew she was not who she said she was.**

**He still wanted to see her, but her role to him was unknown.**

**Her captors were more than pleased with the thought of delivering a punishment to her.**

**It had just hit her that the so called reporter's name was 'Joking' and he may have very well of been a snitch or scout for the Mobster.**

**Her only hope was a certain dead man who had pretty much told her to fuck off when it came to this particular threat.**

The car slowly came to a halt, and looking out the window expecting to see the city streets where witnesses were sure to be plenty, her stomach plummeted at the sight of ware houses. A sign nailed to a post read 'Davey Jones Docks'. The sign littered with rust from the salty air. She could already feel the cement. Then again, she prefer the fate of drowning over other things.

She was stirred from her thoughts by the door opening and a large burley hand pulling her from the white leather seats. Lydia struggled against the Russian body builder, but the fight was futile, and became even more hopeless when her other arm was seized by the mirror image of the man to her right.

She cursed and kicked, threatened and pulled, but no amount of words or strength from her would keep the men from dragging her into that warehouse.

It was dark. A single light was on in what seemed to be the center of the building. Beneath that light sat an array of items.

**A wooden chair that had seen better days**

**A pile of rope**

**A pair of pliers**

**Scissors**

**One very fat, very pissed off man**

**A lit cigar between his thin lips**.

"Have a seat, Miss Dean" D'Angelo's voice mocked, though it came out more hostile than anything.

Her efforts in escaping had doubled but of course they were not enough, as the twins took to putting her into the chair. Nikon held her in place, as Spartak began to process of tying her down. Wrists bound to the arm rests, ankles to the legs, a final tie around her waist, the knot made on the back of the chair.

"You boys go wait outside for now." At this order the two did not argue, but it was clear they hungered to stay, starved for entertainment.

"Well?! What are you waiting for? Get outta here!" He barked now. A scoff came from Spartak, but no other retort was made, as the two vanished into the darkness, their departure was complete upon the sound of the side door slamming shut.

"Finally! Some alone time..." The man practically purred as he removed his pinstriped jacket and dropped it on the floor, away from the other items that littered the ground. "You are a hard woman to find, but of course, if you weren't a lying harlot... I may have found you sooner."

Lydia glared at him as he began to roll up his white sleeves. Her silence was deafening to him. He grinned, his canines poking out.

"Most people in your position usually start begging right about now." He cooed.

"Well most people in this joint are afraid of you, but I'm not like most people here." She spat. It wasn't a lie.

"I like that. A little fight." D'Angelo said, still wearing his grin as he took another drag from his cigar. "Question is though. How long can you keep that fight?" He asked before he took a hold of her left hand by the fingers, squeezing them tightly and brought burning head of it upon her porcelain flesh.

Though Lydia had portrayed the role of a tortured soul though out her adolescent life, she only had three moments of true pain before this day.

**1. The death of her mother.**

**2. Being pushed down two flights of stairs and needing to go to the ER.**

**3. The departing of Adam and Barbra.**

She howled in pain, trying to pry her hand away, but she only succeeded in giving the flame more ground to burn. Tears were forced from her eyes and they continued on out even after the cigar was pulled away.

Lydia hung her head wanting nothing more than to hide from the man and his eyes which burned into her like his cigar. She bit at her tongue to stop her from crying.

He then forced his hand on her chin and forced her eyes to look at his. He was disappointed to see that her fight was snuffed out after a burn, but he thought too soon, she spat in his face, the saliva hitting him just under his right eye. The price of victory was a swift back hand.

"My step mother's cooking hits harder than that." She hissed. He only grunted.

"So what? Tell me your name is ... Not that it really matters. I'll find out who you are regardless. I just like to keep tabs on all my hits." He said stepping back and rolling up his sleeves.

"Does your mother know you beat up women? I'm sure she raised you better than that." She muttered which earned her another slap, followed by a forceful hand on her jaw.

"You might have actually liked my mother. She was a lying whore too. Slept around with so many men she made herself a title. Floozy Susie." He growled shoving her face away. "It pains me though. You seemed like such an innocent broad. Someone you could be proud to bring home to the parents." He gave a shrug followed by a sigh.

"I was a little torn at my choices for you though. I considered giving you to the Russians, and I may still do that, but for all I know your into that. After all, how could a good woman just give herself to a man like that despicable Beetle?" He asked, dropping the flesh scented cigar and snuffed it out with his foot.

The statement seemed to confirm Lydia's suspicion of King's intentions.

"Now I'll ask again." He spoke softly now, leaning over, grabbing the pliers by his foot. "What is your name?"

"It doesn't matter." She hissed glaring at him.

"Oh... Doesn't it?" He asked reaching for her left and, putting pressure on her fresh wound with his thumb seizing a whimper from his victim.

"You'll still do what you want!" She spat in pain glaring at him. It was her eyes which burned into him now. She had seen enough horror films to know that even when the damsel gave in to the mad scientist's interrogation, she still became a failed experiment, destined to die in the end.

It would seem like she would find out the answer to her question. Tightening her eyes shut now she held her breath. "So if you are going to do your worst, just fucking do it already!"

The seconds felt like an eternity. In what felt like forever, the mobster finally released her hand and stood up, retrieving his jacket from the floor. Lydia didn't dare to show a sign of relief, her eyes still pulled tight.

"I'm not finished with you." He warned as he made his way for the door, the sound of his heels trailing behind him. She didn't make a sound until she heard the door close behind him, to which she began cry, fear taking over completely.

Outside the men could faintly hear the young woman's cries, to which the Russians replied with satisfied grins. D'Angelo however was as sour as ever.

"I'm going to see if the boys at the office can pull anything up from the past few weeks of any suicides. One of you stay here, the other can go grab that bum. He might have the answer I'm looking for, and I need to teach him a lesson about taking what is mine..."

Two questions came now from the pair, one question a piece. 'Who stays with the girl?' and 'What bum?'

"I don't give a shit which one of you sticks around, and which one of you get the bum, and I can't believe I have to still spell this out too you twos. The Beetle. Bring me The Beetle! I'll be back in a few hours, and don't you dare let me catch either of you with her. Who in the hell knows what you could catch from her!"

With that the man stormed off heading for down town.

Now the twins were left to figure out what to do. Neither one wanted to volunteer for retrieving The Beetle, while the other could remain with the helpless female.

A coin toss would not suffice for this debate, nor would a fist fight. They were far too stubborn and much too anxious to think about letting the other stay. However the two were not thinking about exploiting their prisoner. It had just been so long since the pair had been in a position to bring harm to a woman.

There was a thrill in it. Not so much sexual gratification, or making them feel more like men, but it was treated more as a delicacy. So often they were used to the sounds men would make as their fists collided with their bodies, how heavy their bodies felt when they went limp, the scent of their blood.

Did a woman's blood smell sweeter? Would she grunt like a man, or would she scream or whimper? Was her frail form a better target? Would she beg like a cowardly man, or be as fearless as the boldest men?

"What if we called him to us?" Nikon began. "I heard rumor that The Beetle must come when his name is called. That's why we call him The Beetle instead."

Spartak pondered on this fact for several moments. "Call Beetle to us? Might be a good idea brother."

"Da! We can both part take in a beating, then bring The Beetle to us!"

The brothers had reached an agreement. They knew that their employer might not be pleased with their thought process, but as long as the job was done, he'd be satisfied.

Lydia was slumped in her seat when the men entered the ware house. Her eyes met theirs and she understood. Her weather forecast was not looking too good. She knew there was no point in reasoning with them, it was clear the two were set on their decision since the car ride over. Maybe even before then.

Spartak brought out a pocket knife and made quick work of the rope. Lydia made an attempt for the door but was caught by Nikon after only a few bounds and was sent to the floor, scraping her arms and knees, but she pushed herself to get up only to run right into Spartak's arms.

The Russian grinned searching her dark, terrified eyes. With Walter, there was purpose to his violence, he wanted answers. This beating would hold no purpose other than sheer pleasure.

"Please." She whispered. "Please stop."

There was a mixed reaction for the twins. Spartak, was enraged at the plea. It was weak. Pathetic. Meanwhile Nikon found it to be music to his ears. Her voice was soft, not ragged or rough.

In his rage, Spartak would be the one to deliver the first blow. A swift under cut to her gut, knocking the wind from her lungs, where he would then follow up with a hook to her jaw, sending her back to the floor where she now reminded the pair of a fish out of water, gasping for air but no oxygen would reach her lunges.

Nikon now made his strike on their prey. Crouching down to her, he proceeded then to straddle her, pinning her frail frame to the floor. Still fighting for air, Lydia struggled to fight free from her fate. Balling her pale hands into fists, she began to pound them into her attacker's chest. The twins smiled a laughed at this attempt of self-preservation.

With his right hand he took ahold of both of her fists and pinned them above her head. Her lower half now began flail in panic. With his good hand occupied with holding Lydia's hands, his left hand, now a fist began to make contact with her face.

Her cheek bone receive the brunt of the hits, however his left hand was not as skilled in the art of combat and was unstable, and his punches would stray from the intended target area, ending up towards her lips or eye. Tears now at full stream, and with air back in her lungs she was at a half the capacity to scream, but still made no attempt at it.

"Brother, get up. I wish to break something of hers." Spartak called as he cracked his knuckles. Nikon, grinned and nodded but didn't leave her until delivering a final blow to her brow, splitting it open.

Lydia was past the point of retreating, her right eye nearly welded shut, and she hadn't begged for the pain to stop since it began, her lip spilling a bit of blood as well now.

"Now little kitten." Spartak began, seeing her in this state he was far more likely to give in to his more primal desires, but he had to finish the job first. "What shall I break? Your ankle so you cannot run? Or your hands so that you won't hit." He purred grabbing her by the collar of her dress and lifted her to her feet, dropping her into her chair once more.

"Maybe a few ribs, or both your knee caps. I would say your jaw, but the boss may still want you to talk..." He said grinning at her, only inches from her face. "What will it be kitty?"

Lydia lolled her head up to the side, her skull felt as though it were on fire, while the rest of her body seemed to be in the process of trying to heal, unaware that such a task now was pointless. Her good eye met Spartak's. She remained silent for a moment, collecting her thoughts, not as to what would be the best bone to break, but how to get one last good hit before she could clock out for the night. She was almost there.

"I'm waiting Kitty! I'm thinking either the ankle or a few ribs. What will it be, Kitty?"

Her response came in the form of her bloodied saliva, splattered on his face.

"Fuck you. And **DON'T** call me Kitty." She hissed, knowing she had only made things worse for herself, but what was the point of the pain anyway? At least she could say she earned something. And earn it she did.

Wiping his face clean with his hand, the brute growled. In one swift movement he took both his hands to her right ankle, still in her boot, and twisted it, a sharp snapping sound erupted her bones, and her voice exploded into a full-fledged scream.

Both the chair and she were then thrown to the floor where Lydia tried to protect herself by curling herself up as tight as she could, but that couldn't save her from Spartak's rage. He began to kick and stomp at her form, no longer caring what she was needed for, if anything. He couldn't hear or see a thing other than red, but Nikon heard the sound of Lydia's bones threatening to break once more, and he pried his twin from the girl only for the sake of saving both their heads from their boss's terror.

Though they did not know that Lydia was still a living soul, it was a common fact that wounds received in the Neither World took twice as long to heal than one received in the world of the living, otherwise he would have let his brother continue on. The only ways to kill a soul was a trip to Saturn or to be thrown in the closet.

"Spartak, brother, we still need to bring The Beetle, we can continue to thrash her later, da?" He persuaded to the best of his abilities.

"Niet! I wish to crush her now!" He growled.

"Da, da. Yes brother! But we can beat The Beetle for a while until Mister D'Angelo comes back! Then maybe you can do more than beat her, da?"

Spartak had to think on his brother's words. There had been incidents in the past where they would do more than beat up men who owed D'Angelo money, but take out what was due from the debt owner's sweetie. Only Spartak and Nikon were granted this privilege if the lover was less than pretty, and the girl balled up on the floor was past being 'pretty'.

Her right side of her face was already bruising to a nice yellow, her eye a light shade of blue, shut tight. Both her brow and lip was cracked, along with a few rips. A betting man would also say that her petite hour glass form would be littered with welts after the last stretch of the beating. Then there was the matter of the broken ankle.

"Da. You are right brother, we should finish our work, and continue to play with the kitty later." He muttered looking over the nearly unconscious girl now. "Now how do we get The Beetle to come to us?"

"We call his name, three time, and he will come!" He said, pleased with himself for knowing something that his brother did not.

"Ah. And what is his name?"

"It's BeetleBeetle!"

"Niet! That is not it!"

"Ah, then what do you think it is, Spartak?"

"Not BeetleBeetle! Maybe Beetle Man, or BeetleShit."

"Idiots-" came Lydia's voice, cracking from her hoarse cries. The two looked over to see that the girl had draped herself over the chair, though she managed to hide the rusty pair of scissors from their sight. She had managed to acquire it while they were arguing. "It's Beetlejuice. Beetlejuice, you idiot's." she spat before slumping herself down once more to catch herself.

Spartak cursed something in his native language and was making his way back over to Lydia to deliver another beating, considering of now breaking her jaw.

"Beetlejuice?" Whispered Nikon in confusion, unaware of the apparition forming behind him and the hell that it would unleash.


	11. Black and White with Red All Over

Lydia Deetz awaited for the killing blow to be delivered, gripping on the hidden scissors with all her might, knowing fully well she hadn't a chance with the large brute, but she still had her defiance in her. Spartak now towering over her soon to be corpse, raised his fist high in the air. In his youth, he was a wrestler, and this was his finishing move. 'The Hammer' he called it.

Lydia watched wide eyed as she was preparing to take the weapon in her hand to drive it into his leg when Nikon, cloaked in darkness, let out a blood curdling scream, catching both Lydia and Spartak off guard.

"Ni-Nikon?!" He called in confusion, but only silence replied. The Russian growled. "Brother? Knock it off! Brother!"

Suddenly a black and white tentacle shot out of the blackness, tightly coiling around the Russian's arm, making panic set in as two more tentacles wrapped around the man's legs pulling him to the floor. Screaming and clawing at the ground with his free arm, finger nails dragging though the wooden floor, Lydia watched as Spartak was pulled into the black abyss.

Unlike Nikon, his screams were not silenced, and it felt like an eternity to Lydia. She heard him beg for his life in his native tongue, as the sound of flesh being torn filled the background. Lydia gripped the scissors in her hand, now tightly held against her chest.

When the cries of pain finally died down, Lydia could hear her own heart race inside of her chest, until the sound of footsteps began to echo though the warehouse. Lydia shut her eyes tight, tighter than her hold on the scissors, now held by both hands. She stiffened a whimper and the footstep drew closer, a single tear escaping from her left eye.

Closer and closer came the footsteps, until they were right on top of her. She did her best to stop shaking, but it was really all she could do. A loud thump came right before her, making her gasp, but still she refused to open her eyes. A hand came up to brush over the fresh tear.

"Babes. Look at me." Came the gruff voice of the man she refused to speak of. She continued to keep her eyes sewed tight.

"Lydia, please. Open up?" This time the voice was softer, still rough, but it carried a tender sound.

Slowly, Lydia pried open her left eye, her right still unable to open. Her vision was blurred by tears, but the girl didn't need her sight to see who it was.

Beetlejuice sat on his knees looking over the girl. She looked like hell, and not in a good way either. His luminous green eyes took in everything, his right hand still cupping her face, his thumb unconsciously stroking the area where the tear pooled up, now sucked up by their skin.

"Lyds. Why didn't you call me?" His voice sounded pained yet all the girl could do was smile.

"Because you didn't want to come in the first place." She whispered, her one eye looking over the dead man before her. Wearing his infamous suite, it was now drenched in blackish liquid. Or at least it looked black. In fact the room didn't carry much color. The only thing that stood out was those damn eyes of his.

The poltergeist cursed his cursed name and brought his other hand to her face, blood staining her face. He knew he should have gone after her. The moment she left his place he knew he should have gone for her. But he didn't. He wanted to make a point, but had he of known that this was the price of his victory he would have never let her leave his side.

"Lydia, can you stand up?" He asked, but her gaze was going out into oblivion. "Lydia?" He asked again, his hands moving to her shoulders, shaking them gently. "Babes, stay with me!" He growled, panic setting in for him. He hadn't a clue if she could die here, those two bastards were still kicking, but they were just not in one piece.

"I'm really tired B…" She whispered, her eye moving to close.

"You can't sleep babes, not yet. Can you walk?" He asked, is she was moving herself, she'd be forced to stay awake. To this question she shook her head, her arm going up to point at her feet.

"My ankle. They broke it B…" she whimpered, her eye now looking to him, fear and pain was all she knew in this moment. "Am I going to die?" She asked in a whisper.

"What? Oh! No! No, no, no babes! You're gonna be just fine." He said in confidence, though he wasn't sure if he was lying to himself now. "I'm going to carry you out of here, alright? Just sit tight and stay with me, Lydia. You got it?" He asked watching her as he placed his arms underneath her leg, another to hook around her back.

Once he moved to lift her off the ground, Lydia began to wail in agony, to which the ghost could try to hush her with his own voice.

"I know, I know it hurts, but that just mean you're alive..." He whispered trying to comfort the girl as he stood to his full height and made his way for the door.

Walking out of the warehouse, the ghoul had it in his mind to set the place on fire, however he had something more important to take care of first. His eyes glanced to the streets around him. He had but two options.

He could bring the girl back to the living, drop her off in an ER where she would either survive, die and pass on to the next life or have one of the suckers take her soul before she even had a fighting chance.

His second choice was to bring her to the hospital here, but the risk was that if she died, he had no clue what would come of her soul, they also ran the risk, or more so fact, that they would pick up that she wasn't dead. And Walter would be on her once again.

Didn't matter which way he looked at it, he was boned regardless.

Except there was a third option. But he couldn't go to HER, could he? What other choice did he have, other than the two already presented, which both had a less than pleasing outcome. His eyes casted down to the could be corpse in his arms.

She was fighting a losing battle, struggling to keep her eye open, her chest hardly rising, only wanting to collapse upon her frame. Worse still, she felt cold in his arms.

"Beej? I'm just going to rest for a bit." She murmured, which made him rock is whole body violently.

"Hey now! You can't just quit on me here!" He growled. The sand in her hour glass going down to the last few grains. "You gotta stay awake and keep me company!"

"I'm so tired."

"I don't care!" He snapped moving his feet now. He could teleport, even bring her along for the ride, but in her current state she would go into shock. He looked to the now unresponsive girl in his arms. "Babes? Babes, wake up now." He ordered shaking her whole body, which was limp.

"Lydia! Wake up for fuck's sake!" Nothing.

Cursing he dropped to his knees and laid her down on the pavement to check her vitals. She was breathing, but her pulse was faint at best. His choices narrowed down to a single contender. He had to see HER, and he had to teleport to HER. Now.

Gripping onto Lydia's shoulder he concentrated on where they had to be. With the wind picking up and the sky going to a dark, the pair vanished in a flash of green light.

It was not long after the pair's vanishing act that Walter returned to the docks, looking as happy as a pig in shit. His team of dogs at the office finally got their shit together to find that she was the little knighting gale that the Beetle was visiting.

Opening the door to the ware house the portly man grinned, his speech already prepared.

"Oh Lydia! Are you ready to talk now?" He beamed happily to the dark warehouse, looking to the only lit area to see the abandoned chair on the floor. Frowning the man glanced around. He could have swore he heard something moving.

"Boys?! Where are you?" He called for his Russian hit men. It sounded like something was rapping against the wooden floor.

Grumbling profanities under his breath, Walter D'Angelo took a step to the side, his hand trying to find the light switch for the whole place. Once his fingers found the switch, he smiled at the small victor and turned them on.

His eyes went wide in horror at the sight before him. It was a blood bath. Body parts scattered the area before him. Moving towards the center of the massacre, his eyes moved to the ceiling to see a set of intestines hanging from the ceiling.

His eyes went back to the floor, just in time to step over a fully intact spinal cord, no flesh. He shivered, at the sight.

Body parts began to twitch and flail around him when he spotted a head, its face on the floor. With some reluctance, D'Angelo crouched to pick up the bloody mass, his fingers lacing into the fine mid length blond hair, now dyed a deep red. He reminded himself that this was why he should wear gloves.

Looking to the eyes of his Russian strongman, it was hard to say which of the two this was. It was even harder for the man in his hand to give him an answer. His jaw nearly torn away from the skull and the tongue was missing. However his eyes were still very much intact. Showing a mix of relief and pain. Pain was the stronger of the two.

Screaming in rage, the mobster threw the severed head to the other side of the warehouse and began to kick at the other parts around him. He was so close! He had her! Had her right under his nose! And now she was gone! Did she do this?

Of course she didn't. How could she of, she was just a living girl and the realm of the dead. He knew who was responsible,

Beetlejuice.

He wouldn't dare confront him. No. Not if he was capable of this! Running his bloody hand though his hair, Walter thought of how to handle the problem at hand.

Lydia was a living girl, in the Neither World. That was at least fifty violations right there.

The Beetle had her, or at least, he presumed he had her. Which meant another dozen violations.

There was also the matter of Juno. She must have known who that girl was from the start of it all! Oh he would make her pay. Withholding that kind of information was enough to be sent to Saturn without a trial! Which is what would have to be done for The Beetle. But now it was just the matter of finding him, and hoping he would have Lydia with him as well.

Walter sighed heavily, calming a bit after formulating the start of a plan. He felt better. But now he needed two new grunts. He had a few people in mind, but he already had their first task for them.

Clean up this fucking mess. His boys were nothing but worm bait now.


	12. Trials and Errors

Beetlejuice arrived outside of a worn down shack on the outskirts of the city of the realm, Lydia's form slumped in his arms. He moved to give the door a tap with his boot, but the door swung just before it could collide with it. No one was in the doorway, but it was clear there was a presence in the less than homey place.

Making his way in, the wooden door closed behind him. He didn't observe his surroundings, but focused on the back of a Victorian style chair placed before a lit fire place.

"I thought I told you I never wanted to see you again." Came a voice of what sounded like a woman chain smoker, she said from the chair.

"You did." Beetlejuice replied without hesitation.

"Than why are you here?!" The voice snapped, the fire burning brighter with the response. The man didn't jump, nor flinch, he merely cast his gaze to the floor. Guilt seemed to consume his luminous eyes.

"I need your help." He muttered, which brought on laughter from the figure in the chair.

"Oh! You need, my help. Now isn't that a joke if I ever did hear one!" The voice spat in laughter, only for it to end in a coughing fit, furthering the look of guilt on the man's face. "Get out of here before I throw you in a lake!"

Suddenly coughs were emitted from Lydia, and fire died down to a simmer.

"Who is with you?! I don't want to be seen! You know I don't want to be seen by others!"

"Her name is Lydia, she's- she's a mortal. She's on her last leg, and I ain't sure what would happen to her if she clocks out here.." He whispered.

Silence filled the air now, with the exception of the sound of the embers crackling in the fire place.

"Why is she here? On this side?" The voice asked.

"Because I brought her here."

"WHY IS SHE HERE?!"

"Because she would have held a fate worse than death if I didn't. And I… I fucked up okay?! I let her out of my sight, and I should have stayed with her but I didn't. I failed you, and if you don't help her I'll have failed her too, so do me this one thing, will ya, please?!" The ghoul begged, which emitted another laughing fit followed but coughs.

"You expect my help, after what you've done? You left me for dead! And after everything I had done for you! Ungreatful little-"

"In the end they got me too-"

"You were let off easy, those fools, testing out their hysteric theories in such barbaric methods." The voice spat again. "But I would take your death over mine. Arrogant boy. Letting your own mother burn at the stake, not even having the decency to watch either." The woman spat now peeking out from her seat.

She was only charred remains. A crusty shell of what was once a human, no eyes were in her sockets, only black pits.

"Now why should I help you?" She growled, causing Beetlejuice to glance down the rotted floor boards in shame once more.

"If you won't help me, fine, I get it." He muttered. "But if you won't do it for me, then do it for her. She's a good kid, and like we were persecuted without reason, so was she. She's got some sort of sight, a medium I guess, and a damn good one too." Bettlejuice reasoned in hopes of getting aid, but he was shot down before he could finish his bit.

"You should have paid more attention when I tried teaching the healing arts, instead of pulling your useless pranks." The burnt woman replied turning her attention back to the flames once more. "Be gone with you!" But the ghoul did not do as she wished, instead placing himself before her, kneeling before her, he presented Lydia's mangled body to her again.

"Mother, I cannot blame you for not helping me, and sure, I understand for you not wanting to help her, but you should still do this." The flames rising behind him.

"And why should I?" She seethed, her eyeless pits boring in his general direction.

"Because it's what you would have done before you came here." He claimed calmly, the comment taking the woman by surprise. "You helped everyone who came to your aid, whether or not they could afford your services. You helped others because you cared, it was your passion, and you were really fucking good at it!"

"Language!" The woman said with grim face, though all of her looked rather grim.

"Sorry, but it's the truth you ol' hag." He said with a smug grin. The woman seemed to observe the pair before her with great scrutiny before giving a sigh of reluctance.

"You always were good when it came to manipulation." She muttered in defeat and gave a slight nod. "I'll heal her as best as I can, but you'll have to be my eyes." She whispered, the fireplace going to a low blaze once more. "Get her on the table. It'll be a long night, and unfortunately for her, she'll be the one who has to work the hardest."

* * *

><p>Juno sat before her peers in The Dead Committee court hearing room, Walter D'Angelo front and center, to both sides of him were other high members of the Committee, all of them murmuring to one another, all but Walter who eyed Juno with vicious intent.<p>

Sitting back in her seat with her legs crossed and a cigarette in hand, she waited for the next question to be asked. She stopped checking the time at this point. It was clear that Walter was only doing this to get her out of the picture, not for more evidence on Lydia Deetz.

The news or a living girl wandering about the Neither world spread like wild fire. There had been reports of mediums making contact with beings of this realm, but this was more than wave lengths. This was full contact.

"Juno, is it not true that you worked on the Maitland's case?" The question came from a middle aged man with brown hair and brown eyes. Really quite average, with the exception gaping holes in his chest. A shot gun to yourself would do that. Johnathan Keys. He was in charge of The Working Dead Program, ensuring all new residents with job placement.

"It is. I gave them consoling on their situation."

"In your reports, you gave the name of Deetz of being the Maitland's main issue of being able to settle in the afterlife. Was this Lydia Deetz involved at all?"

"I believe so." Juno said was a shrug and a drag of her cigarette.

"What do you mean by that? Either she was, or wasn't." Mr. Keys reiterated but Juno shook her head.

"My job responsibilities are to only contact the recently deceased and assist them as they adjust to their new lifestyle, not to contact the living, regardless if they are living with them." Juno replied tapping the cigarette to rid of the hot ashes.

"So you never saw the Deetz family?"

"Correct. I made a house call once, but none of the family members were present when I made the trip, which is stated in that report."

"But you did recently meet this Lydia. She was spotted in your section. Why was she there? Because claims have been made that she admitted to work for your department." Came a woman by the name of Helen Markowitz. She was a special case here. Her suicide was an accident due an error with her medication. She headed the Niether World's Health board.

"Well, that assumption was first made by D'Angelo." She started, eyeing him as she began. "My division is at full capacity, so even if I did want to hire a walk in I would have to turn them away." She said evading the actual question. "I couldn't even ask the girl for her reason thanks to D'Angelo. And his perversion was probably what drove her out of my office. She was out only moments after his departure."

Now all eyes were on Walter. Few things were tolerated here, but sexual harassment was not one of those items. It was actually a big reason why Beetlejuice knew the layout of this room right down to the cracks in the tiles.

"Let's get back on track here, we can discuss the actual events la-"

"Now Walter, can you remind me why you came into my office? Oh wait, I remember now! It was because your operation to rid of Beetlejuice had failed, and I think I remember hearing something of you confirming the elimination of a living soul, in this operation." She said finishing off her cigarette.

"If anyone should be interrogated right now, it should be you Walter. Your reckless actions caused this whole mess in the first place." She spat in annoyance. "I've answered more than enough questions I think, and I really do need to get back to my job. I've got a whole bus load of kids tearing apart my office because the driver went off the deep end!"

"We understand your annoyance, Juno, right now we are just trying to get all the facts on this girl before we proceed any farther. We have to contain this before it gets any bigger. After all, who knows what else she is capable of? We need to get this contained as early as possible." Came Mr. Keys. "Would you have any idea where she is, or perhaps where Beetle might be? Above all else it's important to keep the two separated, in case they try to form a union."

"But if they form a union on this side, won't that lock them in the realm forever?" The question rising from a younger looking man, glass shards embedded in his face. He opted out by means of auto transport. Henry Rollings, representing The Zoning and Developmental Council, his boss didn't find this matter important enough to show and sent him instead.

"No, it makes no difference by what side they form the union. So long as she is still living that would grant the union valid and allow Beetle to cross boarders effortlessly, and then all hell could break lose." Came Miss Markowitz. "Which is why it is imperative that we find them."

"Well I haven't seen either of them as of late. " Juno confessed, seeing that Walter was still eyeing her with suspicion.

"Is that the honest truth?" Walter growled, which earned him a menacing glare from Juno.

"I'm sorry, Walter, did I or did I not tell you that your plan was a bad idea?" She spat before addressing the rest of the board. "May I go now please? Before I take a crack at offing myself again."

"We'll be contact if we have any more questions, you're free to go Juno." Came Mr. Keys. Juno didn't need to be told twice, vanishing in a puff of smoke.

The rest of the board began to mumble to one another, all except for Walter D'Angelo who looked as though steam was to start pouring from the cavity in his head.

He was really swimming against the current now. If he didn't turn this around quick, he'd have to resign from the position, as well as from the committee as a whole. He only just received the position and he was going to be booted out of the door unless he brought in results.

Catching Lydia and getting rid of Beetlejuice was his only choice if he wanted to remain employed. The worst part of this whole ordeal is that she was right under his nose, twice!

"I don't know what would be worse, Beetle making that union, or if half of the population tries to get in on that plan. There will be riots in the streets!" Muttered a mustached man. Robert Parker, was his name, and he was the Commissioner of the Niether Realm's Police Department.

"Well thankfully it's an old law, not to many know of it." Helen Markowitz said in reply as she flipped through the files before her. "Honestly I'm not sure how I feel about this. I know this is trouble, but you can't deny this is extraordinary!"

"How is that even possible?" Rollings asked glancing at the supervisors around him. "I mean yea, here we are but, this is some different shhh- stuff." He said, catching himself.

"Stuff. Yes." Helen retorted before looking to D'Angelo. "So. What actions should we take, Walter?"

"I have a source in one of the journals, I'll have him write a story that will make this look like a hoax. In the mean time I want every available officer out there looking for Beetle and the girl."

"What should we do with them once they are apprehended?" The Commissioner asked gruffly.

"Beetle is to be sent to Saturn, no bail, no trail. He's broken nearly every rule in the books, as well as showing that we need to add in some new ones, I'll have our book worms get on that. As for the girl, I'm not sure how to handle this just yet. Just contact me if you pick up a trail, but our best course might be to discard of her as well."

"Anyone who associated with that creep by will can't be up to any good." Walter added getting to his feet before looking to his peers. "Keep me posted on anything, no matter how trivial it sounds. We need to find them." He snapped, all the board members nodding in agreement.

If this union was formed, the consequences could be catastrophic.

Henry Rollings now looked to Helen. As clueless as everyone seemed to be on this situation, she seemed to be the most knowledgeable on this topic, as well as the most approachable person in this room.

"What happens is she dies in this realm though? Would she pass over, stay here, or what? And what about Saturn?"

"If we're lucky, she'll end up in the closet." Walter spat, thinking over the question as well. He'd have to be prepared for anything, especially if she were to remain in this world after death.


	13. Broken Home

Lydia awoke with a start, gasping for air. Pain shot through her but she pushed her mind past it, trying to figure out where she was, her eyes darting around the room before catching sight of Beetlejuice who was passed out in the chair diagonal from her position, a rickety bed.

She struggled to throw herself out of bed, but succeeded only to crumple down upon the floor. Whimpers erupting from her, which awoke the man in the room.

"Jesus, Lyd's, what are you doing, get back in bed, would ya?!" He snapped getting to his own feet now as Lydia attempted to stand on her own once more.

"How long was I out?" Lydia asked, not wanting to make eye contact with him just yet.

"Not long enough. You still got some rest you need to catch up on."

"I can't! Not while that creep is out there!" Lydia muttered, unable to stand without the support of something else. Her ankle was still pretty swollen.

"Well ya ain't going anywhere with that ankle." He spat back. "Can't you just leave it? You're lucky to be alive as it is. Oh, and you're welcome for that." Lydia sighed at the comment, seating herself at the edge of the bed, looking over her situation.

"Thank you." She muttered. "But I can't just leave this as it is. This guy tried to kill me, I'm not one to hold grudges, but he'll try it again. It won't be over till one of us has our way." She started, her hands gripping the bed as she recalled the scene at the docks.

"Well he's got the lead, kid." The ghoul muttered, a newspaper article appearing on her lap. Upon the front page was a photo of her. The article written by Joe King, she scoffed.

"And here I thought he was joking about his name."

"That's Joey for ya." Beetlejuice said with a shrug as he returned to his chair. "You are officially the Neither World's second most wanted."

"Who's first?" Lydia asked to see the man point to himself.

"Right here babe, the ghost with the most." She smiled and shook her head returning to her even bigger predicament. The smile died as quickly as it came.

"He's really got me cornered." She whispered, burring her face in her hands. "I can't go home with those suckers after me, and I can't do shit here either!" She muttered throwing the paper on the floor. "It's hopeless!" The ghost eyed the girl with a shrug.

"Well, we could always get married you know." Lydia shot him a glare from behind her fingers.

"That wouldn't solve anything." She muttered.

"Well sure it would babes! That sand in your hour glass would never run out, you could jump from this world to your one, and it would really tick off Walter! It solves everything!"

"No it wouldn't!" Lydia shouted throwing her hands onto her lap. "I'm fine with the idea of dying, I really am, but I can't handle the fact that Walter will get away with this!" She continued, tears of anger beginning to make their way down her cheeks. "He unleashed all those fucking reapers just for you and me, but those things… They probably ate hundreds of souls, people who didn't deserve that! And it's partially my fault!" She screamed, her eyes now on Beetlejuice, who seemed paralyzed in her presence now.

"Maybe you could continue on with knowledge of that your existence will go on, while countless others were cleared off for all eternity, and the one responsible for it all gets away! No, I have to take him down." She snapped getting to her feet as steadily as she could. "I'm going after him now."

"You'll die." He whispered watching as she dragged herself across the room. "And Not pleasantly either!" He said getting to his feet. "You don't stand a chance, not alone and not like this!"

"Well unless if you have a better fucking idea how to stop him this is how I'm going out." She snapped back, doing her best to hold her composure.

"I told you, marry me!" He repeated, and her response came fast, but not fast enough.

Lydia moved to deliver a hook to his jaw, but the fist was caught in mid punch, a good distance from its targeted area.

"Just hear me out, Lyds."

"No! You're only thinking about yourself!" She snapped.

"We'd both get what we want out of it! You and Me?! We would be untouchable together!" He started, his grip tight on her hand as she tried her hardest to pry herself away. "This world and the living one wouldn't be able to tie you down!" The comment made her scoff.

"They wouldn't be able to tie me tie because clearly you want to. And don't you dare make a dirty joke out of that!" She warned, a wry grin already on his face, but he didn't say a word of it.

"Look, I ain't thrilled over the whole vowing our eternal souls to one another either, but it ain't a bad deal! Immortality with a funky twist on it for you, I'll get to hang out on the other side and-"

"Betelgeuse" Hissed a voice unfamiliar to Lydia, but the man held his own tongue now.

The pair both turned their heads down the hall to see the charred corpse seated in a wheel chair before them. Lydia had already seen worse looking dead beats, but a look of shock still remained, not for the appearance, but for the woman's power over 'the ghost with the most.'

"Ma' don't do this right now, please! Let me explain!"

"Betelgeuse!" She snapped again and he released Lydia's hand promptly.

"Woah! Wait, Stop, listen its okay between me Lyd's honestly we-"

"Betelgeuse!" She snapped, and the ghoul vanished in thin air, making the girl jump.

"Where did he go?" She shouted, mixed on the departure. The corpse chuckled and gave a shrug. "I sent him off to Saturn for a bit. I'll call him back when he's learned his lesson." She said with what seemed like a smile, flakes of her blackened skin falling from her cheeks. "What is your name child?"

"L-Lydia ma'am."

"Lydia. What a beautiful name, for a beautiful girl." She replied, the chair moving forward, a squeaks piping from the tires as she rolled closer. "How do you know my son?"

"He- He's your son?" She asked astonished, to which the dead woman nodded.

"Yes, he is, I've come close many times to disowning him, believe me." She said as the wheel chair turned around. "Come now Lydia, we shall sit by the hearth with some fresh catnip tea and you can tell me all about yourself." She called from over her shoulder, and Lydia obediently followed.

The short hall opened up to a small room, which held a small fire place, a worn out coffee table and a pair of Victorian style chairs. As Lydia looked to the fire place, Beetlejuice's mother seated herself in one of the chairs.

"Sit, child, sit." She croaked and once more Lydia obeyed, wincing in pain as she did so. A tea pot now sat before them with two dainty tea cups. "How do you take your tea, child?"

"Uhh, with sugar I guess. Thanks." She mumbled still unsure of her newest predicament. The charred woman gave a nod once more and the tea pot began to pour into the pair of cups, a small bowl of sugar cubes took place on the table.

"Tell me, Lydia, how is it that you came to know my son?"

"It's kind of a long story." Lydia admitted as she prepped her tea.

"Child, I have all the time in the world, this one and the next." Lydia nodded to the response and gave a shy smile.

"Well, you do, and I do, but I've heard of Saturn, and I don't want to keep Beetl-"

"Ah! Don't call him back just yet, and fret not for him. He can handle himself just fine…" She cooed taking her own cup now. Lydia nodded searching for the right place to begin.

"Well, it all started back a few years ago, my dad moved us out of the city and into this big house in the sticks." She recalled with a smile of how much Delia hated it at first. "And it turned out it was haunted."

"By my son?" She asked.

"No! Well yes, but not originally. By a couple who lived there before us, they weren't dead long, they died only months before we moved in. Adam and Barbra. They were my friends, but they weren't a fan of my step mother, all the changes she was making to their home."

"Ahh, I see. Adjustment to the afterlife is hard enough." She mumbled as she moved to taste her tea.

"Yea, so at first they wanted us gone and-"

"That's where my son came in."

"I guess he was the exorcist for the living." Lydia said with a smirk but it faded quickly. "He came close to getting rid of us too, but Barbra was able to send him back." She whispered, remembering the fear she felt. Shaking it off, she continued.

"So I encountered him two more times after that, the first one was brief and he said he could get me to be with Barbra and Adam, the next time-" She paused now watching the fire place. "That time he saved Barbra and Adam. The price for said rescue was my hand in marriage."

"He was always one for those deals. Ever since I told him the story of Rumpelstiltskin." She crowed with a shrug, her 'gaze off towards the fire. "So I take it you two were not wed."

"No, close but, before we were announced he was eaten by a giant worm…thing." She muttered motioning to take another sip of tea but hesitated. "Ma'am-?"

"Please, call me Tabitha."

"Tabitha, right..." She repeated as she set her tea down. "What was he like, your son? Before he well... died?" She asked which made the woman across from her stop in mid drink.

"He was not the man he is today, I assure you. I raised him better than this, but this realm had its way with him, corrupted him somehow." She whispered setting down her own cup.

"He had no father growing up. It was just the two of us for a long time." She began, Lydia listening intently. "I'm not aware of how much he told you, but you deserve to know the truth. I am a witch, and so it he." Lydia's eyes widened.

"What?"

"oh come now, not like the ones in the silly fables. We don't eat children or ride on broom sticks, though Betel did it once or twice as a child, just because he could." She said with a chuckle. "It's such a strange thing though, to outlive kings and their legacies yet to die from simple and stupid folks." She said with a tisk. "Though the world always has been like that, hasn't it?" She asked to which Lydia could only nod in agreement.

"He was drowned then. Wasn't he?" Lydia asked watching her, Tabitha nodded.

"Yes, I burned at the stake, while he was drowned only a few days later. Had he not been such a coward then we may have both lived to see another lifetime…."

* * *

><p>The air was thick with the anticipation for the witch hunt, mobs of angry and fearful villagers moved to the shack just on the outskirts of the town, three children had gone missing in two night's time, and the only answer could be that a witch had taken them. And the only people to fit the requirements of being witches nearby was the town healer and her fool of a son.<p>

Tabitha readied herself to speak to the people in hopes of calming their tempers. She was hauntingly beautiful, her cedar brown hair cascading down her back in waves, her bright green eyes were like emeralds, and her soft pale skin would make strangers consider if she was possibly royalty, but even the most beautiful of maiden's were not spared from being tried as a witch, if anything, they were more prone to it.

"Betelgeuse, come away from the window! When they meet our eyes, it will be face to face, not from us cowering behind a wall!"

A young man stood looking out the window, his own green eyes watching as the flames and pitch forks moved closer. He was half a shade lighter than his mother, and he did not hold his mother's brown hair, nor her bravery. He swallowed hard looking back to her and could only nod.

Two of the children had been eaten by wolves, but there was not a witness or a shred of proof to it. The third child however vanished shortly after she had set out to fetch a remedy for her parents from Tabitha. The child never so much as made it to their doorstep.

"Mother, we should just leave. France is wonderful this time of year, or maybe look into the colonies? Not as many people out there, and-"

"No! I will not be taunted by mere mortals. I have been on this earth for over 200 years, I will be damned if I let some farmers led by a false holy man chase me from our home. We have helped these people for years, if they can be swayed to violence, we can sway them to peace."

"Mother I don't-"Suddenly there came a pounding on their wooden door.

"Come on out Tabitha, we know you're in there! Don't make this any harder than this has to be!" Came a pious and pompous voice, the town's preacher.

Tabitha did not delay in opening the door to meet the masses gathered outside her home, her son remained cowering inside. Roars of anger filled the sky, night nearly upon them now. Accusations thrown her way,' taker of children, murderer, the devil's mistress', but she did not give way to the people's words.

"Listen to me! You are my friends and neighbors!" She shouted back, not an ounce of anger or judgment in her voice which soothed the crowd down to whispers. "I have done you no wrong! Nor my son, we have aided you from illness and injury!"

"Which you gave us with your spells!" The preacher shouted back, earning back his flock who all cheered in agreement.

"And what would I have gained in that?" the beautiful woman asked in response. "Riches? I do not have want or need in coin, and I have proven it with my hospitality! You all know this to be true! When you came to me with not some much as a goat to your name I have healed your children and the old without payment!"

"Ye did it to curse us!" Came a riled villager in the crowd, cheers following.

"Do not give in to your hate, please!" Tabitha started, but was cut off by the pastor.

"The witch expects us to not obey the word of the lord! Ye shalt not suffer a witch to live! We shall burn her at the stake!" He roared and two men went for her, dragging her from her door step, neither one of them noticing the man hidden just inside the door way.

The men quickly bounded and gagged the woman, in fear she might hex them all as they escorted her to her final resting place. All the while they dragged her back to into town, where a post was already in place and waiting for her, Tabitha gave muffled screams for her son, but he did not leave his hiding place until the smoke had died, along with his mother.

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><p>"I may not have felt the flames consume my flesh, but my heart was burned from my chest with the knowledge that my own son did not fight for me. With my last breaths on that earth, I cursed him for all eternity. For not coming to my time in need, I cursed his very name, to all that beckons him by call his name three times… he will have no choice but to show his cowardly self." She said sipping her tea once more.<p>

"Looking back on it now, I should have just let my son go." She mused gently in thought. "In cursing his name, I had not only brought him his death, but lead him down this dark path he now walks." She whispered.

Lydia sat in thought, she felt pity for the pair of them, but more so was curiosity. The Beetlejuice she knew was nothing remotely close to the son Tabitha referred to in her tale.

"What changed him?" Lydia asked.

"That, my dear, is something you'll have to ask him. I only know the beginning… Not what changed him into the man he is now, or more so was."

"What do you mean by 'was'?" Lydia asked to which the corpse smiled.

"He is not as foul as I remember. When he came here the other night he-"

"The other night?!" Lydia asked in confusion. "I've been out for that long?! Shit! Oh God, Dad! Oh Delia's gonna kill me!" She screamed getting up. "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" She shouted and the ghoul plopped suddenly on the floor like a fish just reeled in from the ocean, only instead soaked with water from the sea, he was covered in sand.

Before he could give the roasted bitch a piece of his mind, Lydia was dragging him out by the jacket.

"It was nice to meet you Tabitha, thank you for the tea!" She shouted dragging the upset and bewildered man out of the shack.

"What gives babe?! Took you long enough, or did you pass out from her story telling, she could put even a dead man to sle-"

Not now Beej, you gotta take me back to see my dad! How long have I been away! Shit, they might have gone back home by now!" She screamed running her hands though her hair.

"Jeez babes, calm down, alright, we'll take a trip just... just breath alright?" He asked and she nodded slowly. This was the longest she had been away from her dad, and to be gone so long without a notice, he must have been worried sick.

"How do we get back?"

"Well you got a choice here, you can either send me or go with me."

"I should go, he might not trust you after all."

"Ehh, good point babes. Alright so just hold my hand, say the magic word three times and think hard about where you want to go."

"Jesus, what are you, Dorothy's slippers?!"

"Oi! I didn't make the rules alright? If you got suggestions or comments on how this shit works, the woman who gave it to me is right through that door!" He said gesturing back to his mother's door step.

"Alright, whatever let's just go." She muttered as he held out her hand to her. Placing her hand into his she thought hard on the house where all this started.

"Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" She called out, and the pair appeared outside of Lydia's parents' house. Releasing his hand Lydia bounded for the stairs, busting though the door.

"Dad?! Delia?!" Lydia called once inside, leaving the door open for Beetlejuice to follow which he did cautiously. "Hello?! I'm home!" Suddenly glass was heard, shattering in the kitchen, followed by footsteps.

Delia came through the arch way from the kitchen, and once Lydia came into view, her eyes began to swell with tears, her arms opening for her to enter in a hug, which Lydia did immediately.

"Where have you been?!" Delia cried, holding her step daughter with all her might, fearing if she loosened her grip, the girl would slip away. "We looked everywhere for you!"

"I know, I'm sorry, there wasn't any time to explain!" She mumbled in regret. She should have left a note or something, but she was lucky she made it out of the playhouse alive. Or anywhere for that matter." She glanced up to Delia then around the room.

"Where's dad? Please tell me he's not still looking for me? I know the first forty eight hours are essential but-" Now Delia backed from the hug, but remained in full contact, her hands gripped on her step daughter's shoulders.

"Lydia... You've been gone for months."

"What are you talking about? We were just in the city, which was only last week." Lydia whispered back unsure, but Delia shook her head.

"Lydia. That was eight months ago. Your father and I, we looked everywhere for you. We had your picture plastered on the news, milk cartons, and billboards. Where in the world were you?"

"I can explain everything, but let's wait for Dad, it'd be easier if we told you both at once…" She whispered looking over her shoulder to Beetlejuice, but Delia's grip tightened, forcing Lydia's gaze back to her.

"Lydia-"

"What is it Delia? Look, I'm really sorry I scared you guys, but I'm back, for now anyway, I have so much to tell you and-"

"Lydia listen to me!" She shouted, making both the dead man and the girl freeze where they stood. The woman shook as she gathered herself up again, which made something click in Lydia's mind. Delia wasn't wearing make-up. She always wore makeup, even to bed! Something was wrong. Really, really, wrong. Before she could ask, the answer came from her step mother's mouth.

"Lydia, your father is dead."

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><p><strong> We'll see Charles again, as well as look into Betelgeuse's death next chapter. <strong>

**Thank you guys for the reviews, **

** wolfmoonsshadow- He didn't turn her in, but he didn't help her either, and because of that it shaped his after life forever. As for Lydia, I can't tell you just yet.**

** Air in here- I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter, I hope this one satisfied you as well, though given the circumstances of it's ending I will understand if you are upset.**

**To those that have only recently come across this story and started following, thank you so much, and a additional thanks who have been keeping up with the story since the start, I know it took me awhile but the end is near, I promise!**

** I hope to have this story wrapped up by Christmas, so maybe another three or four chapters left. Once this is done I'm considering doing a prequel to follow Betelgeuse as he transforms into Beetlejuice, but I'm not a hundred percent sold on it yet, but you guys did seem to take a liking to his mother's intro. If I do write it up It'll most likely be one shots, going though time from his death to just before the film.**


	14. Deadbeat Dad

**Authors Note: Firstly, I'd like to apologize, I had intended to upload this chapter well over a month ago, however I had to rewrite it due to technical difficulties. ****With that said, for those of you still following me and this story, thank you ever so much for your patience. It means the world to me. **

**As The Ghost with the Most would say, "It's Showtime".**

**P.S I don't own a thing.**

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><p>Charles Deetz. Loving father, Husband and now a deadbeat. Had he not committed suicide before arriving to the waiting room, he surely would have done it now, only this was his last stop, and no amount of prescription pills would get him out now. His leg shook nervously as he waited for his name to be called.<p>

Maybe this was hell? His very own personal hell. Sitting in a dentist office without a single magazine for the rest of eternity. But this was where the Maitland's went to speak to their advisor, or consultant or whatever the person was. Wasn't it?

It felt like it had been ages, but it looked as though it was only minutes passing. The receptionist hadn't moved from her spot for so much as a bathroom break! Did ghosts need to use the bathroom?

"Deetz?" Came the voice of what may as well been his angel of mercy, only he would have never had imagined that angels were painted green. Or models. Or suicide victims themselves. "Miss Hale will see you now." She chimed, but he knew all too well the sound of a pissed off receptionist. Without a word Charles made way for the door, not giving a damn where it led to so long as it was out of that waiting room.

The hall was distorted, the walls uneven, the floor went like hills, and the doors shaped up to be proper doors. He was dead, and all he could think of in this precise moment that even he would never be able to sell this commercial property. His eyes darted back to the doors, each one, searching for an indication of where his 'Counselor' took residence. Twenty doors passed before he found it, and it was the most average looking door in the hall, which gave him some relief, but that distressed him even more. He was dead, yet he still had anxiety. This was definitely hell.

He knocked once before opening the door, and once inside, he was attacked. Attacked by a stunning 5'10" brunette with the most luscious pair of lips he ever felt. Naturally, Charles reacted the only way he could. In a panic.

"What the hell woman?!" He shouted his back already against the closed door, his hands out stretched to keep the woman at bay, but now her advance had died. She went from ravenous to repulsed.

"Dammit. That little green bitch promised me a hanger." She spat turning away, letting Charles not only remember how to breathe, but to let him see his attacker fully. Hourglass curves with a perfect red dress to show them off, legs that went as long as his wait in the room, and eyes like burnt cigarettes. He almost regretted forcing the woman off, but he had far more important matters at hand.

'And you're a married man.' He reminded himself, mentally checking himself.

"Have a seat, Mr. Deetz." The woman hissed going for her draws, pulling out a bottle of whiskey. Dear God this woman was something out of some old B rated detective film. He abided and took a seat across from the desk, trying to avoid her gaze, as well as her cleavage.

"So how did you off yourself?" She asked, pouring herself a glass. Charles was stunned at himself now. He couldn't remember for the life in him. Well obviously. He was no longer alive.

"I- I don't remember." He confessed, and the woman's response was slamming the bottle on the desk, causing the man to jump in his seat. She smirked gently and set her gaze upon him once more.

"It's a shame you didn't hang yourself."

"What does it matter to you if I hung myself or not?" Charles asked in confusion, which was when the woman climbed upon her desk, grabbing the uncomfortable, married man by the collar of his shirt.

"Because," she purred, her hands moving to search the man's trousers without an ounce of shame, "sometimes when a man hangs himself, he won't break his neck, but suffocate himself, so he is still able bodied down here, and if so, sometimes, if they are passed though quick enough, they maintain the erection from all the blood from their body moving down for the legs." She cooed as the man moved to get out of the woman's grasps.

"Jesus- I'm married!" He shouted, now feeling her hand work him, making him quiver but a fight still in him.

"Mmmmm… Last time I checked dear, you're dead, making her a widow, and you a single man." She cooed and the man in her grip no longer fighting the tides of pleasure coming over him, and her hand on his shirt went to properly release the man's organ. Licking her lips with desire, she did not expect the man to retaliate now.

With a hand around her throat, he did his best to follow though before he gave in to the woman's rather enticing demands.

"If you don't stop that.. I'll have to report you to Juno." He rasped, and the hands were no long on him.

"Ugh, how do you know the old hag already?" Hale spat in disappointment.

"I don't know her personally, but I have my sources." He muttered, collecting himself both mentally and physically. His memory was coming back now. "I took to many pills, and it was no accident. I came here to find someone."

"Well darling, if it was an old lover, I cou-"

"No! No, I wouldn't kill myself to get laid…" He muttered. " I came down here, to find my daughter."

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><p>Lydia sat in the living room in shock. Pure shock. She had not so much as moved an inch of her own free will since the news hit her. The Poltergiest had moved her to sit in the armchair, but only after calming down the already hysteric Delia Deetz.<p>

The pair had come to a short mutual agreement, or more so that Delia would not try to attack him at will with the fire place pokers at will.

"She's been with you? All this time? What have you done to her?! She looks horrible!"

"Believe me toots- she looked worse." He warned seating himself on the floor, his eyes still on the neurotic red haired woman. "It's a long story, but I think you have a longer one to tell. You got any smokes on you?"

Delia went back to the kitchen in a huff to retrieve her purse, as well as a bottle of wine and two glasses. Once returning, she set herself on the floor, legs crossed beneath her as she fumbled though her bag in search of her Marlboros. Charles detested her smoking in the house, but hell, he was dead now. Might as well smoke inside, even if just out of spite.

"I'd prefer to hear yours first. If I am going to tell Lydia how her father passed, I would like to do it with her actually listening." She said with her iconic sarcastic smile, handing off a cigarette to the ghost she lit it for him with her lighter, then did the same for herself. Beetlejuice could only nod to the statement.

"Let me give you the quick version- Lydia called me in some fancy place, surrounded by who knows how many Soul Suckers and-"

"Soul Suckers?"

"Yea, just- just imagine the grim reaper, minus the skeleton and scythe part, and instead of taking you to the next life they devour your soul. Really brutal and after that, there is nothing. Got it?" She nodded. "Right, well the only way out was if into the Neither World-" clearly a question was going to present itself from Delia once more. "It's where all the ghost come and go. Anyway we got there to without a problem, because apparently, Lydia is some sorta super medium. We get there and find out that the new head hauncho for the fucking committee put a hit on me, and unfortunately Lydia was kind of the bait."

Without warning the woman began to slap the ghoul with what might she had from her free hand.

"You?! You did this then?!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Woah! No! I didn't give her that Jacob-fuckoffanddie disease, it just fucking happened that way… I guess the board knew I was visiting her and-" Another round of feeble hits to the head. "Oi! Whaddya want from me?!"

"An apology to start! I also want you to get Charles back, and to tell me what you did to Lydia!"

"Well I can't tell you the rest when you keep fucking hitting me, can I?" He snapped, making the woman put on her sulking face. "Pour me a glass would ya?" She refused, but only for a moment before uncorking the bottle.

"Now then, right. Well the guy that put the hit on me hates me. Like really fucking hates me, you know?"

"Believe me, the feelings mutual." Delia hissed handing him a glass, earning a frown from the ghost.

"Mutual enough to tell some fucking ugly Russian dolts to bash her skull in?" He rebutted pointing to Lydia with his cigareete hand her before downing the full glass. "Because that's how it went down. She got snatched up by D'Angelio… the head hauncho, and she was nearly dead by the time I showed up." He hissed with venom, savoring the memory of tearing the brutes apart, but poisoned by the image of her broken and battered body.

"She's a real troop. I've seen a lot of shit, but not to many people who could take on a beating and still have the courage, or stupidity, to fight back." He whispered taking in a drag, and dispensing the half burnt cigarette into the empty wine glass.

"And oh, let me guess, you saved her because you are such a gentleman!" She asked with her head tilted ever so much, and a far to chipper smile on her lips. Sarcasm was a second language to him, but Delia could not only speak it but show it. He really understood now why once upon a time Lyds wanted to off herself.

"Well fuck. I saved her didn't I?" He spat back as he got to his feet to investigate his surroundings.

The place had a more 'homey' feel to it now, last time he was here the damn place felt like the Neither Realm. His eyes roamed about to various family photos and obscure paintings until he came across a framed news clipping. He would have walked right by the thing had it not had a photo of Delia holding a sculpture. A sculpture of him. His jaw went slack and he turned his gaze right back to the 'artist' who sat, downing her second glass of wine, unaware of the oncoming storm.

His eyes went back to the news clipping to further identify what the fuck he was a part of now. New York Times. Great, not only was he the butt of some bad joke in his neck of the woods, he now looked like a hot mess up here. The article included a biography of Mrs. Deetz, as well as a short interview. It gave note that her success seemed to have taken place nearly over night, and when asked 'what had attributed to her artistic growth' she had responded with 'my own personal demons and shambles of modern culture.

He lost his suicidal thoughts, but only so he could replace them with homicidal ideas. The bitch had the nerve to make a half assed sculpture of him, but not even the decency to credit him?! Tearing the frame from the wall and made his way back to the woman, practically shoving the evidence in her face.

"What the fuck, lady?! Did you fucking forget to mention something here?! Like asking me for permission, or at least forking over some cash for my help?"

"Help?! Ha! You're out of your mind." She tisked, finishing off her cigarette. "You didn't do a goddamn thing other than terrorize this household!" A scowl now on Beetlejuice's face.

"I could sue ya know. For Plagiarism. I fucking made that form first. Or do you not recall me being a fucking snake right before your eyes?!"

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><p>Lydia began to come back to the world. Her wide eyes blurred everything before her, her hearing slightly muffled. Even the chair she sat in now didn't feel fully there. Her gaze went to the direction of her Step Mother and Beetlejuice. They were arguing, but she held no context of their conversation. Without breaking their focus on one another, Lydia managed to break away from the room and retreated up the staircase.<p>

The study. Her father's favorite place. It would be no surprise for her to learn that this was the room that this was the room in which he died. Her eyes observed everything with scrutiny. Nothing had changed, but the room lacked her father's aroma, replaced with the weight of death. Her fingers trailed across one of the book shelves. She had never ventured into the room unless if her father was in the room, she had no need to.

They all had their own spaces. When Barbra and Adam were still here, they kept to the attic when in need to keep to themselves, Delia would go to the deck or to the basement for her art. Lydia took to her room or the basement bathroom which was converted into a dark room. This room. This was his room.

Lydia had yet to shed a tear. She refused to believe it. She waited for her father's voice to scream from the kitchen in frustration, or for him to walk in with a cup of tea and nature magazine in hand. For him to ask her how her day was, if she was interested in any boys, if she thought about going off to college, if she wanted to go into town with him, what photos she had taken lately, or if she wanted to talk.

She heard the floor creak behind her, and to her disappointment it was not her father, but Beetlejuice and her stepmother. Both offering apologetic somber faces, to which Lydia could smile sadly in return, her finger tapping on the book shelf.

"How did it happen?"

"He over-dosed on his medication." Delia whispered, not daring to approach the girl, in fear of scaring her off like a rare bird. "Right in that chair. He didn't even leave a note…" She whimpered, water works threatening to break out, but this news started a spark to Lydia.

He killed himself. If he killed himself, then that must mean he was in the Neither Realm! Her eyes went to the ghost's and he immediately threw up his hands.

"Babes- Listen, I know what you are thinking."

"You have to bring him back! You have to!"

"I don't have to do shit! I'm already a wanted man, and something on that level?! The council would feed me to the worms without trail!" He huffed, but the words he produced only encouraged her more.

"But you can do it though," she started now moving towards him, "you can bring him back?!" He scoffed.

"Well, duh. Of course I could bring him back, ya know, so long as I had his body, and the right ingredients, and of course the proper motivation." He hinted.

"If you bring my dad back, I'll marry you." Lydia spoke without hesitation, receiving a gasp from Delia, and shake of his head from Beetlejuice, a grin as well.

"No deal."

"What?! Why not?!" Lydia shouted enraged, now toe to toe with the ghost with the most.

"Because babes, if memory serves me right, you tried backing out at the alter after I did my part." He hissed back, folding his arms. "No way. If I do this. We get hitched BEFORE I bring your old man back." His green eyes flashing, sending shivers down her spine.

"Lydia, sweetie, just think about this. Your father wouldn't want you to go through with something like this!" Delia spoke, earning a glare from the ghoul. He only had so many propositions considered, and this girl already took the bait once, he couldn't run the risk of her backing out again.

Without effort, the ghost managed to force the woman out of the room with a gust of cold air, the door slamming and locking behind her. A contract appeared in one hand and a quill pen in another. The door handle shook furiously, followed by pounding and shouts from the very distressed widow.

"Now, if you want your daddy back, all you have to do is sign this contract, we'll rustle us up one or two more witnesses, get hitched THEN, I'll bring him back, well, maybe go on a short honeymoon, THEN get your old man back. Do we have ourselves a deal?" Lydia bit her lip, her eyes looking to the door then to the contract, skimming over the words.

"And if you can't get my dad back?"

"I'll prove it to ya that I can bring him back, by bringing us a witness from the local grave yard. Just gotta make sure they are in the Neither pit first." He said in a matter of fact tone, like he had done this sort of thing on a daily basis. Lydia snatched the contract and read it over.

In summary it went just as he informed her before. Everything would be split down the middle. He'd get half of her life, and she'd get half of his powers, more or less, but they would share each other. The sand in her hour glass would stop moving, and he would get a fresh start on life. She would get her father back, and he would get out of the Neither Realm for good. He'd be untouchable.

"You're getting the better deal.." She muttered eyeing him, he could only shrug and grin in response. "Hey, I didn't make the odds uneven. I'm just taking advantage of your situation." He admitted without shame. Just when she thought she saw a nice streak in the guy, he turned out as rotten as he looked.

He offered her the quill and she took it into her own hands, moving to the desk. Laying the contract out she sighed heavily, knowing fully well that she was signing her life away, she just wished she knew what else would be in store.

"Can we get a divorce?" She asked looking over her shoulder.

"I'd have to initiate it, and believe me, neither of us would want that process." He confessed, making Lydia's situation even more perilous, but none the less, she signed the contract and handed it back to him.

The document vanished once he came into contact with it, going off back to wherever he pulled it from, and the door to the study opened once more, letting in a devastated and exhausted Delia Deetz once more.

"Aw Mom, come here!" He shouted bringing the two in for a hug. "Ya know what, this is great! Why, I'm the luckiest guy in the world, really I am!" He gloated before delivering sloppy kisses to each of their foreheads and released them.

"Now, let's see about sending out some invitations, and oh gosh we need a cake! Ugh! So much to do and no time to do it in, however will we manage?!" He shouted with theatrics as he exited the room, victorious once more.

Now all he had to do was figure out how to raise the dead.


End file.
